OKORE: Young people, listen before you are blinded into violence

If you have been following the on-goings around the country you will be aware of the bouts of violence that have been erupting in various parts.

Kapsabet and Bungoma stood out for me and sadly so. With the campaign period officially on, the political tension seemingly has started to rise.

I’ve witnessed stones been thrown at opposing sides, property destroyed and an angry mob of young people chanting.

I understand that young people are passionate about their support of specific political leaders and their parties but I fail to understand the senseless violence however small it may seem right now.

If history is to teach us anything at all we should know that angry violent expressions like these can’t be taken lightly especially during a political year.

They are usually a manifestation of what may come which should worry all of us.

That said I want to address the young people who still at this time allow political leaders manipulate them into violence.

Didn’t you learn anything in 2007? Have you forgotten so fast how turning against each other only brought us to our knees while the leaders were still standing? Should we be reminded of mutilated bodies, blood stained earth, a church filled with burnt bodies, raped women, displaced families, maimed men and a burning country?

It’s disappointing that young people are not realising that politicians don’t lose anything when we fight each other.

They thrive in our discord and build alliances on our broken backs and scared bodies. You cannot allow a politician pay you to harm someone just because they don’t ascribe to your ways or thoughts it’s just criminal and utterly stupid. You can’t be the same people asking to be given a chance to steer this country when you can’t value each other.

Your differences are supposed to strengthen you not divide you.

Ask yourself this, “If your leader was so angry with their rival, why don’t they go and get their hands dirty themselves?” Why do they buy you cheaply as a young person to go behave like fools? Why would you let anyone who has no idea how you’ve been living, the economic challenges you face and the opportunities that were stolen from you control the relationship you have with your fellows? It is moronic to fight a wealthy man’s battle while they sit behind closed doors counting you as a statistic.

Young people need to step up from this old ways of politicking and demonstrate that no amount of money is worth putting yourself in harms way for someone who is protecting their own interests. No amount of money is worth harming someone else ever. A leader is ok giving you money to go heckle then you take it and actually heckle, respect yourself you’re a human being not a heckling machine. Until you take a stand and denounce these manipulative ways politicians will never stop manipulating you.

No leader will take you seriously as long you’re still out here behaving like a lost lamb. You are the future of this country please act like it. The power of your voice through your vote is enough to make these politicians bend to your demands so stop behaving like a slave. Refute mediocre tactics of doing politics if you desire better. You can’t plant discord and reap unity you cannot.

Look around you in honesty and see how all of these leaders who incite you have secured a future for themselves and their families. They’re not like you and they lose nothing when small businesses are torched to the ground, they lose nothing when roads are barricaded, they lose nothing when one of us is killed, they lose nothing when we sleep hungry, they lose nothing.

During the violence of post-election did any politician open their doors to let displaced Kenyans in when all hell broke lose? Did any politician have to queue in IDP camps trying to find their family members? Did they queue for hours in supermarkets to scramble over basic commodities? Think young people, think. Either you want to claim insanity or selective amnesia but if you’re truthful with yourselves you’ll know that you’re collateral damage in this equation. Remember always that division is a decision, a choice you make so, choose each other because no one will. It’s up to you.

 The writer is the Programme officer Civic Engagement at Siasa Place

@scheafferoo