Democratic nominations will strengthen Opposition

The fish is rotten from the head to the tail. That is the only way to describe the shambolic and chaotic party nominations process in Kenya.

Once upon a time in 2002 there was a candidate vying for the KANU nomination ticket for the seat of MP. This candidate knew the only election he needed to win was during party nominations.

Once he secured the KANU ticket, the General Election that was to be carried out at the end of the year would be a non-contest; a rite of passage. Like many candidates for political party nomination tickets in Kenya do, he devised a way to secure the ticket by any means possible.

On the day of the nominations many women and a score of men were at a polling station waiting for their turn to vote. Suddenly a large group of naked men, wearing only dreadlocks, arrived at the polling station.

Terrified women and the few clothed men, abandoned voting and ran for their lives. The candidate with the naked dreadlocked supporters carried the day. He won the party nomination, and the MP’s seat at the General Election.

The entire nomination process in Kenya is conducted through cronyism, backroom deals, corruption, blackmail and violence. Though all parties are required by the Constitution and the law to provide for internal democracy mechanisms within their party constitutions, on the day of the nominations the rule books are tossed out of the window.

As a result, it is an open secret that the elephant in the CORD coalition in the 2016/2017 period will be the election (or is it selection) of its presidential poll bearer and his running mate. It will be the single most divisive moment for the coalition. The parties within the CORD coalition must confront this ogre, before it awakens and consumes them.

The Jubilee and CORD coalitions, every political party in Kenya, and every lawmaker in office and aspiring to office, should closely follow the Presidential nomination process in the US and draw some lessons from it.

The candidates seeking the Republican ticket in the US are Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Jim Gilmore, Lindsey Graham, Mike Hucakabee, Bobby Jindal, John Kasich, George Pataki, Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Marco Rubio, Rick Santorum, Donald Trump and Scott Walker.

The candidates seeking the Democratic ticket are Hilary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Lincoln Chafee, Bill de Blasio, Martin O’Malley and Jim Webb.

The winning Presidential candidate will come from one of these two parties. By the date of her (or his) election, the whole world, not just the US, will know all her strengths. They will also know her oratory prowess.

They will be treated to her skeletons and weaknesses. Her knowledge or ignorance of international policies, and her understanding of global dynamics will be laid bare for all to judge.

In the US, the candidates for both parties will not be selected through a single window dressing political party convention like we usually do in Kasarani. There is no acclamation. There are no men in black. The candidates are not selected in boardrooms or backroom meetings. They are popularly elected by the rank and file members of their parties through caucuses and primary elections in each State.

Ultimately, the main contenders in the US Presidential election will be popular candidates. They will be winning candidates. They will be democratically elected candidates. This US presidential nomination process is not required by the Constitution or the law. It is a best practice that has been developed over time by the political parties and by the States.

Do you know a single aspiring presidential candidate in Kenya who has the courage to go through such a transparent and nationwide party primaries?