Youth must disappoint those bent on causing chaos

The 2017 General Election is gearing up to be one of the most competitive since multiparty democracy was re-introduced in Kenya in 1991.

All Kenyans, especially the youth, have a role to shape the outcome.

Kenyans must see and use elections as a mechanism for peaceful and democratic rotation of leadership and not an opportunity for violence.

ECONOMY
After the horror of the 2007/2008 post-election violence, no Kenyan today can claim ignorance of the cost of violence to our economy, human rights, human dignity and progress.

The cost is not borne by those who perpetuate the violence alone – the cost is borne by all of us.

As the country enters the final phase of the 2017 elections, the youth have an important role in ensuring peaceful elections because violence destroys the future of young people.

PEACE
It is encouraging, if the East African Institute’s recent study is anything to go by, that 90 per cent of youth in Kenya believe it is important to vote, and that 70 per cent believe they have the power to make a difference.

Make no mistake, the democratising power of elections and a better future that the Kenyan youth desire cannot be achieved in the absence of peace.

We must demonstrate love for peace regardless of our political orientation and ethnic identity.

HOOLIGANISM
Violence has absolutely no place in the electoral process.

We must refuse to accept hooliganism and violence as the norm.

We lose ourselves when we continue walking down the undesired path of violence.

CAMPAIGNS
The open and charged nature of campaigns that political parties continue to display must be encouraged.

But politicians must not forget that politics is a battle of ideas – politicians must market their agenda, and at the same time preach and work for peace.

Recently, my mother reminded us – her nine children — that we are all her offspring, and no one is special.

SUSTAINABILITY

That profound statement can apply to all Kenyans too: That we are all sons and daughters of this beautiful country, and that no Kenyan is more special.

We come from different parties, belong to different tribes and confess different faiths, but we must agree that we are all Kenyans, and we only have one country that we must strive to build.

The actions we take today, throughout the elections will affect us for decades.

DIGNITY
All Kenyans must understand, as never before, that we all have a right to support political parties and candidates of our choice, and that each one of us is fully worthy of respect and dignity.

We can love our choices, without hating what other people like. 

No doubt, politics affects the lives and trajectories of the youth – over 60 per cent of registered voters are youth of 18-35 years.

DEMOCRACY

In effect, the youth have the potential and power to promote peace, societal transformation, and better alternatives.

For all we are worth, youth must be a force for good in Kenya.

Initiatives like the Youth Congress, the Inter-Party Youth Forum, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Youth Advisory Group, Jiactivate and the Coalition of Kenyan Youth Manifesto must lead the youth to lead the society to explore peaceful paths to democracy. 

CREDIBLE POLLS

The youth must disappoint politicians who bet on them to cause division and chaos.

Additionally, the youth must work with institutions, including IEBC, National Police Service, Judiciary, National Cohesion and Integration Commission, civil society groups and the media to support efforts for credible, peaceful and fair elections.

Most important, public institutions involved must ensure that the elections are credible and the outcome is legitimate in the eyes of most Kenyans.

STABILITY

The calls for peace must not be used as a device to silence voices that demand credible elections, nor as a shield for gross violation and blatant disregard of human rights, the Constitution of Kenya, electoral laws, and the people’s will.

As it was once said, and that is true, elections must be free and fair to avoid the streets from taking the place of the ballot box, and disrupt peace and stability.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) must ensure that elections are free and fair.

For one thing has proved true, credible elections will deliver peace for Kenya, just as happened in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and other African countries.

Mr Obonyo is the author of Conversations about the Youth in Kenya.