Stop exalting the bipolar politicians

There are two statements the media should be better advised to keep off for the sake of public sanity.

First, “never again shall Kenyans fight one another because of elections … blah blah blah!” Second, “ … We are focused on what we were elected to do braah braaah braah…”

Politicians — specifically, many Kenyan politicians — are bipolar; they hold two opinions on anything. They propagate two extreme points at any one time. They have two natures on any given day.

In the morning, an elected leader is giving a gloriously thoughtful interview to the media on the state of the nation.

That afternoon, the same “honourable” is busy tearing apart reports in Parliament. In the evening, “Mheshimiwa” is giving a nice treat to friends before returning home as responsible parent.

PRETENCE

On a sunny day, a politician is exhibiting great integrity in a written speech delivered to an attentive audience at Taifa Hall, University of Nairobi.

On a rainy day, the same politician is lining up friends and relatives for lucrative jobs that less-connected Kenyans have no access to.

See the same person donating very generously for worthy causes on Sunday morning.

Then the same ‘cleansed’ honourable is at a public rally that afternoon, breathing fire at any critic, any dissent and any contrary opinion — real or perceived. One moment they are aggrieved, another moment they are peacemakers.

The Sunday ends with a blistering attack on fellow politicians for calling for secession (if there was a possibility of seceding from politicians, I would do it yesterday!)

On Monday afternoon, or, let’s say, Tuesday morning, the honourable is back to the office. Interesting what bipolar persons can do.

Meet the honourable, if you are lucky to: Very good person one-on-one. The person in the media and the person you meet are diametrically different.

VIOLENCE

Move to the next office. The very nice, articulate, attentive media-sensitive and seemingly patriotic public figure in the media is not just dismissive but simply a devil to encounter.

What makes us believe that because of bipolar politicians, “… we will never again fight one another…”? Really?

Another reason why it should bother the media less to feed us with the blah blah blah and braah braaah braah is simple. We fought one another in 2007/2008.

We regretted the event but learnt little in terms of holding better, fair and credible elections. That is why last year’s General Election was, by and large, one big joke — except, of course, for people with bipolar tendencies.

It would not have hurt but built the credibility of the elected leaders if only they gathered courage and lived their celebrated love for the country to implement the TJRC report, so that we lay a solid peaceful foundation for the younger generation.

CORRUPTION

Away from the bipolar politicians, the media, which I generally respect, never stop to amaze.

The amount of corrosive corruption the same media so painstakingly report every other day, the mystery of public funds usage in the counties (without, of course, denying the many visible and most appreciated county developments since the advent of devolution) and the increasing taxes, some of which are not justified, should, ideally, prompt them not to take seriously political claims that “we are committed to what we were elected to do”.

What is that, if not sensibly addressing, as a matter of priority, the challenges Kenyans of low-income face, since they are the majority and form the economic base on which we draw our tax?

Governments are formed to deliver. If they deliver one tonne of sand instead of the five pledged, we should be angry and demand the other four.

Unfortunately, the media are the first to highlight the wonder of a one-tonne sand delivery!

WATCHDOG

The essence of being the ‘Fourth Estate’ is to make governments accountable, not cover up their failures.

The 2017 presidential election reporting is a case in point. The institutions charged with overseeing the electoral process needed to convincingly account for their role in the election mess.

The same energy, enthusiasm and creative imagination that is sometimes invested in media lynching of ‘omena’ (‘small fish’) should be used to ‘watchdog’ people who are paid by the omenas to deliver on their behalf.

Most of our elected leaders lack political morality. This is why the media ought to be aware that, in Kenya, statements such as “I promise, I commit, I assure …” are to be interpreted differently from what they conventionally would mean.

It will be a great service to the public if the media simply stopped elevating political meaninglessness in the public discourse.

Dr Mokua is the executive director, Jesuit Hakimani Centre. [email protected]