Tone down divisive political fights

The rising political temperatures at a time we are faced with the coronavirus challenge should worry every Kenyan who cares about the country’s future. When we engage in divisive succession politics, we demonstrate lack of foresight.

Reports of politicians holding night meetings and retreats to seal their 2022 game plans tell the tale of a leadership simply out of synch with reality.

Truth is, what Kenyans need now is an assurance that all will be well in the corona period, and that the State will do whatever it takes to safeguard the economy. We call on politicians to gauge the mood of the nation. Leadership should be about service delivery and not self-aggrandizement.

When political competition is allowed to take centre-stage at every juncture, service delivery suffers. At stake now is President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda. The technology, manpower, resources and time needed to implement these legacy projects may be hard to come by in an environment poisoned by competition between allies of President Kenyatta and those of DP William Ruto.  

Politicians should build on Uhuru’s 2018 handshake with ODM leader Raila Odinga to forge political harmony devoid of name-calling. Unfortunately, the 2007, 2013 and 2017 lessons have been forgotten.

We warn that the moment leadership turns into an “us verses them” affair, public interest suffers. Members of the National Assembly and the Senate should focus on the job at hand and give impetus to the war against poverty, diseases, unemployment, hunger and lately the Covid-19 pandemic.