2017 elections should be issue-based

Recent opinion poll by Infotrak revealed that 62 per cent of Kenyans believe the Jubilee administration is leading Kenya in the wrong direction. Corruption was rated as one of the biggest impediments to realisation of a prosperous Kenya. In my opinion, other impediments include tribalism, lack of accountability in public institutions, an unresponsive education system and unemployment.

In a functioning democracy, that poll would disturb and perturb the administration in power. But I know the Jubilee administration is sitting pretty. It has optimism in porous ethnic arrangements.

In fact, if elections were held today, I know the Jubilee administration would garner substantial votes and perhaps win the election, notwithstanding discontent by a majority of Kenyans. Those are results of ethnic seeds of hopelessness that ethnocentric elections have sown in Kenya.

Yet, at independence, issues such as eradication of colonialism, disease, illiteracy and poverty shaped political discourse. But today, politics and elections are influenced by ill-gotten wealth, personalities and tribal arithmetic. Important issues such as corruption, infrastructural development, education, healthcare, poverty, national and international integration and good leadership and governance have been relegated to the back burner.

Sadly, in our political environment where no Kenyan politician has ever won an election purely on issue-oriented campaigns, issue-oriented politicians end up losing elections to corrupt leaders. Many politicians win elections by bribing and intimidating voters.

The more money, cars and choppers politicians display on campaign trails, the higher their chances of getting elected regardless of their character, source of wealth and qualities of good leadership.

In desperate situations, elections are “won” by stealing votes. What is deeply concerning is that politicians divide Kenyans along tribal lines as a manipulation strategy to glean sympathy votes.

By and large, Kenya doesn’t need rich leaders with ethnic mindsets who drive big cars and hurl big monies. Rather, Kenya needs leaders who have sharp brains and warm hearts with ability to formulate, articulate and implement policies that will bring transformation.

More importantly, Kenya is threatened by enormous challenges that require total overhaul of the whole system so that we can take our long overdue position at the table of civilised and developed nations. With gigantic issues at stake, Kenya needs leaders who can run issue-oriented campaigns that will address real challenges and prescribe practical solutions.

Time has come when Kenyans must declare they will cast their ballot for leaders who will solve these fundamental challenges. From inefficiency to corruption, time is right for Kenyans to separate genuine leaders who have their interests at heart and can solve societal issues, from the dishonest who masquerade as leaders and plunder with impunity.

Many of the leaders we elect are inspired by a desire to enrich themselves, perpetrating ethnic hatred and building an empire out of the sweat, blood and tears of resilient, trusting and oftentimes gullible Kenyans.

Only a handful of leaders are inspired by genuine desire to entrench standard democratic principles, annihilate corruption, create employment opportunities, spur economic growth, end poverty, enhance infrastructure, reform the education sector and restore unadulterated justice in the judiciary.

Unfortunately, as soon as those masquerading as leaders are elected, they hibernate from the public square. They detach from the electorate till the next election season when they reappear with ill-gotten wealth to buy votes and entrench another cycle of dysfunctional leadership.

For how long shall we remain silent, tolerate incompetent leaders and promote mediocrity? Martin Luther King once said our lives begin to end the moment we remain silent on issues that matter. We must break our silence and demand leaders of integrity who can address issues that concern us.

Chapter six of the Constitution, which was diluted by legislators for fear of public accountability, provides us with hints to use as yardsticks in measuring good leaders.

The Constitution emphasises that leaders must espouse professional ethics, nationalistic behaviour, patriotism, integrity and characteristics of good leadership and governance.

Nonetheless, if we want to move our country forward, we must elect leaders who have moral integrity and ability to conceptualise and promote national values of hard work, honesty, kindness, authenticity, patriotism, faith, and unity.

Our vote must demystify personalities, wealth, tribal arithmetic and electoral chicanery as factors that determine elections. Instead, elections should be determined by issues bedeviling Kenya.