Only through peaceful elections can Kenya achieve meaningful growth

Any sensible politics should be about authentic and holistic human development. Such development can only happen within an environment of peace among the different interest groups that form the population of any nation. No meaningful development can be achieved in an environment of chaos and bloodshed.

Elections are about giving citizens of any given nation the chance to agree on whom they would want for a leader and who they believe can drive their development agenda.

Recently, we have seen scenarios that do not display dignity in our electoral system. First, we saw the almost violent rejection and eventual ejection of the former commissioners of the electoral agency. Then, we saw two so-called leaders boxing each other on the podium in full view of cameras.

Just last week, we were treated to a rather nasty encounter between supporters of two factions in which a governor’s bodyguard was wounded and a senator thrown under the table.

STAGE A FIGHT

No sooner was that over than we saw a lady nominated senator leading her supporters to stage a fight at their party headquarters over some election matter. One understands that the stakes in leadership positions are higher than ever before but that should never mean that people kill one another.

For true peace to prevail during a political season such as this, leaders must first bear in mind the importance of respecting the rule of law.

Political scientists will tell us that politics is about interests and they may be right. There is a point, however, at which one should know that when those interests are taken to the extreme so that they supersede universal values such as respect for human life and human dignity, then something is wrong.

VIOLENT BEHAVIOUR

One would hope the episodes of violent behaviour witnessed recently are not a pointer to the kind of atmosphere that will prevail during the election period in four months’ time.

Those that call themselves leaders must seriously consider their actions and words. They must not forget that they are responsible for shaping perceptions among their people and that it is these perceptions that will determine whether elections are peaceful or not.

The events that took place in the early days of 2008 are only nine years back. Those memories are still fresh in our minds.

Whether we like it or not, it is the perceptions that had been shaped during the politicking of 2007 that led to those events. While we all are responsible for how things turn out, our leaders have a bigger responsibility.

Writer is Dean of Students at the University of Nairobi [email protected]