Uhuru’s legacy hinges on rebuilding nation after stormy electoral period

October 26 came and went. Kenyans exercised their democratic right by voting or not voting. A few attempted to disrupt the process. Voting failed to take place in Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori and Siaya counties.

Even as our public discourse shifts to what the low turnout means and the legitimacy of the exercise and its outcome, the question of how to heal a deeply divided nation is a major running theme.

All of us – including President Kenyatta and his arch-rival Raila Odinga – lost a little on Thursday. President Kenyatta’s transition to a second term has not only been delayed, but also muddied. Raila has failed to clinch victory on his fourth attempt at the presidency and has now transformed NASA into a resistance whose form and nature we are yet to see.

This is the point at which we must come together, reflect and consider our way forward. We must truthfully look back and make choices about how to move forward as a country. There are a few truths we need to consider.

First, elections by their very nature are – and will continue to be – divisive. In Kenya, our division is largely ethnic. However, neither of these are the issues. The key issue is the deepening of division and mistrust driven by political leaders who refuse to play by the rules or want to make them as they go by.

As a rule of thumb, systems work when rules apply to all.

Second, electoral boycott and low voter turnouts do not in themselves constitute an existential threat to our country. In any case, voting is not mandatory in Kenya. However, we must acknowledge the depth of the division in our country. By failing to turn out to vote, many Kenyans made their voice – or the lack thereof – heard. The will of those who voted must be heard, but this silence should not be disregarded.

All matters remaining constant, Uhuru will be sworn in in coming days, for what will prove to be a challenging final term in office. The drama and uncertainty that has marked the 2017 election, and its aftermath, has already shaped the agenda for his legacy: rebuilding social trust, unity and cohesion.

His legacy will be rebuilding faith and confidence in the Kenyan project so that our disagreements and competition, which will remain, do not threaten to tear the country apart. Political competition should not have us on the edges of our seats every single time.

In my view, the President’s agenda should comprise of three major elements. First, the question of inequality and marginalisation, often seen through the ethnic lens, have persisted despite devolution. Proper understanding of what drives these sentiments and what citizens identify as gaps from the government will need to be assessed and remedial measures designed.

Policy making must move beyond rehashing of the usual tropes about inclusivity and establishment of institutions that end up bogged down in their own bureaucracy and fail to deliver. To succeed, the president would need to place as much focus on this as he has done with his mega infrastructure projects.

Second, a concerted and well-coordinated approach to youth empowerment must be a key priority for the government. If we want to keep our young people occupied and make them feel an integral part of a common enterprise, we must give them access to opportunities.

Finally, the importance of cultural and creative economies in building a shared identity cannot be overemphasized. We celebrate the successes and mourn the failures of our artists, musicians and sports teams as a nation. They are a pillar on which we can build our nationhood if we are committed to it. The status of the Ministry of Culture and Sports should be elevated.

Focusing on national unity will help the president secure his legacy and build on the goodwill of many Kenyans who count on peace in their pursuit of happiness and prosperity.

- The writer is a PhD Candidate in African Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

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