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WHOM TO VOTE IN TO THE NEXT PARLIAMENT

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Published on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 09:21

Personal wealth, stellar education, eloquence, persuasive abilities and endorsement by a powerful figure is by and large the most popular criteria by which leaders are elected into office, in the so called democratic nations.
If you asked me, whether the above requirements are enough to expect of anyone seeking my vote. I'll first honor the qualifications with an impressed grin, then proceed to hand over my special list of extras that I'll expect of a candidate, before I lift my finger to cast a ballot on any one.
You must think I'm suffering from the 'Matiba' syndrome, which is characterized by boycotts, and absconding civil duties. See, Matiba has a good point in expecting very high political standards; it's his approach to getting to those standards that scares the heck out of Kenyans.
I'll want my leaders to showcase a high degree of charisma, vision, and resolve and that is just for starters because the list doesn't end there. They mush portray a passion for the general welfare of the entire nation and by this I mean, real determination and ability to work as a team to better the social and economic problems facing Kenya today.
For decades politicians who use the art of demagoguery, using promises to gain power, have taken the Kenyan electorate for a ride. These are representatives who forget about delivering their promises, once they set foot in parliament buildings. Rather than serve the people with diligence, they bask in the glory of popularity, and pursue personal agendas at the expense of the nation and the very people who voted them into their prestigious position.
It's about time the electorate understood the weight of one vote and how it impacts the nation in the long run. To address this problem Radio Stations that broadcast in ethnic languages are called upon to launch a patriotic campaign of educating the illiterate population on the civic process of elections, what to look for in a candidate, and how to get the most out of a democratic process that features an array of national parties among other agendas.
Those who consider themselves to be literate should show so, by excising their voting duty come Election Day and not just stop there but go beyond and vote in an enlightened manner.
The General elections in Kenya have forever been characterized with ethnicity rather than merit, This is to say, Kenyans would rather vote for a mediocre candidate on simplistic criteria of kinship and tribal lines.
The General elections is a national exercise for Kenyans in a whole. While it is important that every ethnic group be substantially represented in parliament; Kenyans should not push that need so far as to shadow our identity as one united nation.
Kenyans are urged to assess all national parties impartially, and single out a party that demonstrates, not just a passion but also an ability to confront and deal with problems facing Kenya effectively.
How does one identify such a party? Or does it even exist?
While it's an impossible task to see through a candidate's heart and bring out his intentions, we can at least dig into their personal history. Look for, how much voluntary work they been into, their eagerness to be of help in reasonable circumstances, and their participation in community fund raising. These are some of the surefire litmus tests to use in testing your candidates.
It's worth noting that, Kenyans tend to vote for the wealthiest contestant, since personal wealth is a reliable yardstick to measure some ones competitiveness. Wealth, in most cases is a result of vision, perseverance, hard work, resolve, resiliency and other virtuous attributes that make wealthy people good managers and leaders.
The reasoning is that, wealthy people are already leaders by example, in that they are a living testimony of success to any one wiling to do what it takes. More so, a voter can rest assured that a wealthy candidate will do a good job in putting into action his campaign promises once in office.
That assumption holds water on the premise that, the wealthy are innately result oriented, they are better placed, to tap into the same drive that brought them personal success and reproduce it many folds to better the lives of those who voted them into office.