Kenyan political parties lack political maturity

Among the East Africa Countries Kenya was the first to politically go democratic. In the last general elections Kenya was the first among the East African Countries to hold American style presidential debates. Despite all of that, Kenya seems to have lost its grip and the political parties are exhibiting lack of political maturity.

 The political parties have failed terribly to internalize the concept of democracy; this has led to its members changing political parties like t-shirts. Kenyan political parties have also exhibited a lack of organization.

An example is the ODM party and the entire CORD coalition. The leaders of this party in the past weeks have shown that they are not united. This even led to the resignation of the Secretary General, a top position of leadership in the party. The former Secretary General, Ababu Namwamba resigned with claims that he was being neglected on the major decisions that were made in the party. This shows that the decisions were not arrived at in unison in the party.

Disorganization has led to the disorientation of the party which is currently in turmoil. Most importantly are those political parties carrying the interest of the nation. It is through the party that the leaders have been given the power of the people.

This is what the leaders seem to have taken for granted. They are using the political parties as an instrument to seek and keep political power. Political parties should be used to serve the people’s interest, to look into the weakness of a country, and in the weakness strive to build strength.

Political parties should not also be in a war against each other in between elections. They should be focused in building the country and not waging a political war. In the political war in which they are busy out-stealing each other and thus stealing the country's future.

 An example is how the CORD and the Jubilee coalition are busy accusing each other of stealing their party members, yet each of them have a role to play in the development of this nation. Jubilee should be trying to fulfill the promises it made to the people and CORD as the main opposition should ensure the government meets the needs of the nation.

Political parties are just an empty shell. What are important are the values underlying them. The spirit of democracy is what brings the parties to life and makes it a living organization of the people. This is a call to political parties to embrace political maturity and in the end real political democracy.