Kenyans deserve better than the leaders we have put in power

Yet again, our beloved country Kenya has been thrown into another crisis because of our pigheaded, polarizing-politicians who do not seem to care about the well-being of its citizens.

“Two killed as Cord demonstrations turns violent”, “Hundreds injured during Cord demonstration in the CBD”, “Cord mourns death of Kenyans killed in the IEBC protest.”

These have been the headlines on Kenyan news past two weeks. Politicians are at it again, using their ‘divide and rule ‘tactic. The current government appears to be mirroring retired President Moi’s tactics. Every time Cord followers match to the streets of Nairobi, the police armed with teargas canisters and waters cannons welcome them.

When citizens are willfully ready to meet head on with anti-riot police, geared with water cannons and tear gas canisters, Kenyans must wake up to the fact that something is terribly wrong. It is evident that what we the people want is what our political idols want. Our political affiliations tend to guide and control what we want, making us overlook what we actually need. Many times, we have acted upon impulses of our leaders and not our own.

Do we really know why we are shouting and roaming the streets of Kenya? Are we able to see beyond what our leaders are telling us? Aren’t we capable of thinking beyond that? Without Cord provoking the masses to repeal the IEBC, the odds would be that people would be in situ. It is high time Kenyans stir their own demands.

One of the profound ways we can do so is by understanding the constitution, our rights and the law. With this, we can deplore or agree with more power and effect.

Most of the protests in Kenya, including the recent  IEBC protests that took place in eight of Kenya’s 47 counties, have some citizens protest without even knowing what the electoral body’s mandate is and if it actually conducts its role (never mind some have never read a line in the constitution).

We do not see beyond what we are told. We get so excited and in the moment we take action. Kenyans should not only be satisfied and act upon second hand information passed by our leaders, but should dig deep into our constitution and collectively decide what is good for us as a country.

Our leaders seem very enthusiastic and make big speeches but when troubles hits, they are swept into their armed cars and safety is their destination. They – in both camps - seem like archrivals in public but they dine together in private. The protester is left in the battlefield consuming that teargas in the battlefield.

Both the government and opposition are to blame for the protest madness, but the Kenyan people are just as much to blame. We have to learn to be independent thinkers and see Kenya through our own eyes and not through our leaders’ lenses.

Kenyans deserve better than the leaders we have put in power. We deserve leaders who unite us, not separate us.  Our diverse political views should be subsumed under a common goal- standing for Kenya. Peace is in our hands.