Why we should feel let down by parties

 

The chaotic party primaries are finally over. Both Jubilee and ODM combatants had turned their respective parties’ nominations into an orgy of ferocious bloodletting in a way that has rarely been seen in Kenya before. What we have witnessed are not free, fair, transparent, credible and democratic contests but an indictment of our electoral process.

Why are Kenyan “political parties” unable to conduct peaceful, credible and democratic elections?

The answer lies in the hollow foundations of virtually all Kenyan outfits which are erroneously called political parties. What we call “parties” are actually fictional constructs conjured up to confuse and mislead the people into supporting the pursuit of raw power by a few selfish, parochial and sectarian “party owners”.

Historically, genuine political parties have been founded or formed on clear ideologies, philosophies and policies. They are organised and disciplined formations that pursue power in order to use the same to transform society, provide jobs for their people, construct infrastructure and deliver services. Leaders of such genuine parties often emerge both dynamically and organically based on their visions, integrities and ideological commitments; they aren’t imposed by primordial considerations or on the basis of the raw pursuit of power, hypocrisy and/or convenience.

Empty vessels

In other words – unlike the Kenyan strains - political parties are not supposed to be opportunistic empty vessels for the pursuit of power.

Yet, recently, a few leading Kenyan political actors – owners of the fictional constructs – have openly admitted that they are not interested in anything else beyond raw political power. They aren’t interested in or committed to job creation, devolution, service delivery and good governance. They aren’t united by ideology, philosophy, policies and principles. They aren’t interested in building a cohesive, united and peaceful country and leaving behind a legacy of economic growth, development and prosperity.

All they are seeking is raw and an unadulterated power so as to use it to protect their ill-gotten wealth and in order to acquire more illicit wealth and lord it upon the people.

Speaking at the Bomas of Kenya on Thursday, April 20, 2017, the Nasa Pentagon Member, Moses Wetang’ula – an embodiment of the culture of impunity - crystallised this despicable culture in graphic language in these unfortunate words: “Leadership is about power and power must be shared... properly. The agreement on power sharing is finished. You know, in our culture, the cow is shared before it is slaughtered – on who will take the hind leg, the fore leg, the head and who will take the ribs. That, we have already finished.”

This primitive utterance echoed the much denigrated gloat by President Uhuru Kenyatta at the burial of William Ole Ntimama where he told CORD  (now NASA) leaders “to stop salivating as Jubilee leaders eat meat because Jubilee won the 2013 elections...”

And, of course, before then, the former Premier, Raila Odinga, had entertained Kenyans with his “nusu mkate” (half a loaf) metaphor in reference to the defunct Grand Coalition Government.

In other words, both Jubilee and NASA leaders are two sides of the same rotten selfish, parochial and sectarian political coin. Both formations treat political power as their meal - “meat,” “a cow” or “mkate” - to be shared out amongst themselves.

They don’t view leadership as the greatest and highest public responsibility requiring them to implement policies and programs for economic growth, job creation, economic prosperity and financial empowerment of our people. They don’t consider power as an onerous and honourable duty to serve the public interests.

It is time Kenyans realised that the so-called political parties we have and their owners aren’t genuinely interested in serving the best interests of the people. Almost all of them lack integrity, vision, ideological commitment, policies and programs.

First of firsts

Yet, our local media have not acknowledged the fact that I became the first independent candidate in this election cycle – in March 2016 - because of the obvious defects within our body politic.

On August 8, Kenyans should remember Martin Luther King, Jr’s dictum: “We need leaders not in love with money but in love with justice.”

Kenya will only be transformed when voters elect individuals of integrity to positions of power; not fictional constructs, ethnic, regional or sectarian chieftains in pursuit of cows or meat.

Mr Miguna, a candidate for Governor of Nairobi, is a lawyer and author. [email protected]