It is hard to convince Kenyans to elect more of the same lot

Kisii Governor James Ongwae (left) presents a soapstone carving to Cord leader Raila Odinga during the opening of the Kisii Entrepreneurship Summit at the Kisii University on February 25, 2016. In this market, the only politician who makes an attempt at selling change is Mr Odinga. PHOTO | BENSON MOMANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • People are usually enthusiastic about voting when there is the prospect of change, of doing things in a different manner, of their lot improving.
  • Perhaps there is hope for our country after all. Invest in the children, not in the bloody politicians and their thieving cohorts. 

For many Kenyans — including me — the question is not whether they will vote at the next election; it is whether they will vote at all.

If the next president is going to be either Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, Mr Raila Odinga, Mr William Ruto, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, or Mr Moses Wetang’ula, many Kenyans are asking, what is the point of voting at all? It is just a matter of more of the same.

People are usually enthusiastic about voting when there is the prospect of change, of doing things in a different manner, of their lot improving.

But there is an inevitability in Kenyan politics that is just as bad as Uganda’s. You may have a different face, but it makes no difference.

The prospect of change generates enthusiasm in voters. In America, Senator Bernie Sanders, who in conventional wisdom is unelectable because he is a self-confessed socialist, has inspired a passionate movement in the Democratic nomination campaign.

On the other side of the divide, billionaire Donald Trump, equally unelectable because of the extreme positions he has taken, has taken the imagination of a section of Republicans hostage to such an extent that he says he could walk up to someone, shoot them, and it would not make the least difference to his popularity.

In this market, the only politician who makes an attempt at selling change is Mr Odinga.

He has been in or around power for 20 years and he has been selling the same goods in all elections therein.

Outside his core following, his message is as convincing as a UFO yarn.

The latest corruption allegations expose just how rotten Kenyan politics is.

The National Youth Service scandal reminds me of Anglo Leasing.

UNPREDICTABLE

Huge sums of money are involved, the scandal is intricate and takes place in the rarefied reaches of power, the actors are tear-inducingly arrogant, but for those who can see behind the lies and the theatrics, it is quite clear that the whole thing is like a hand-knit pullover.

A thread, in the shape of Josephine Kabura, has come loose. The whole pullover is doomed.

I do not predict political trends. Politics, like religion, is irrational and, therefore, unpredictable.

But I can make a wild guess that this election might yet see the worst voter apathy in Kenya since the re-introduction of multi-partyism.

Unless somebody works a miracle, voter registration this season is going to be a disaster.

In the first week, 251,894 people registered to vote, against a target of 1,037,893. That is an achievement rate of just one quarter.

The only place where the target was achieved was in Kajiado (118 per cent) and I do not quite know what magic was worked there.

The next best is Siaya with 60 per cent. Eight counties have registered between 32 per cent and 43 per cent of the numbers targeted.

YEAR OF APATHY

Nairobi, Siaya, Kiambu, Kakamega, Kisumu, Nakuru, Bungoma, Homa Bay, Meru, and Migori together have a total of 3.58 million people who have identity cards but have not registered to vote.

That is more than half of the votes garnered by the winning candidate, Mr Kenyatta, in 2013 and two thirds of Mr Odinga’s vote tally.

Now, it would be cute for us to implore those folks to register as voters and to do their civic duty.

But from what we have seen in the Kabura and Waiguru papers, what exactly would they be voting for?

Their hard-earned tax money will still end up in sacks in some dark basement, if those good ladies are to be believed. 2017 will be the year of apathy.

*****
I was very impressed and heartened by two things that happened last week. A group of little girls got together last Saturday to bake cupcakes for sale to help their school build a swimming pool.

It is not easy to bake and sell cakes. It is hot, messy work. And for children to give up their free time for the benefit of the community captures a spirit of service that is lacking in the leadership of our country.

Another little girl told me: “I have given up my phone.” I was shocked. For that generation, giving up  your phone is like a billionaire giving away all his money and opting to live as a pauper.

Or President Kenyatta giving the keys to State House to Mr Odinga and saying: “My brother, why don’t you also enjoy the trappings a bit.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because it is distracting me,” she said with wisdom well beyond her years. I think this is the equivalent of Ms Kabura putting the Sh80 million in her car, driving it to NYS, and telling them: “Guys, please take your money back and use it to clean the slums.”

Perhaps there is hope for our country after all. Invest in the children, not in the bloody politicians and their thieving cohorts.