How to choose your leaders

How to choose your leaders

By JOHN OKINDA

CHOOSING good leaders to positions of power has not been has never been an easy task to most Kenyans since independence. The one party system of governance in Kenya effectively ensured that voters were never given choices to enable them exercise their constitutional rights to vote persons and parties of their choice.

The repeal of section 2A of the constitution by the government in 1991 saw the restoration of multiparty democracy in Kenya. With the repeal came the establishment of numerous political parties. The purpose of which was to give the Kenyan voter the freedom of choice, ensure his/her views are taken into account and reflected in the overall governance structure of the country.However, the big question today as we write and speak is: Have Kenyans really understood this freedom of choice and exercised it positively? What tangible benefits have they derived from it so far?

Emergence of multiparty democracy
But again wait a minute! The emergence of many political parties has not brought much change to Kenyans. Most parties are formed with narrow and selfish political agenda. If anything, most political parties are tribal in nature and operation, and this is a trend that politicians have relished with great energy for personal gains. These parties are headed by tribal kingpins who use them to bargain for political power and other favours at the national level at the expense of the people whom the parties claim to represent.

Despite the freedom of opinion and expression that multiparty democracy has largely provided, no meaningful development projects have been realized so far. Instead our politicians use the freedom to tear into each other’s throat and engage in endless political noisemaking and witch-hunting at the expense of championing for development issues for their constituents. It is a shame that the same politicians would boldly appear before the national media and falsely accuse their colleagues who have made tremendous achievements in bringing development to the people who elected them.

13 years down the multiparty democracy road, 56% of Kenyans still live below proverbial poverty line. Hundreds of thousands of are still squatters in their own country. Thousands of innocent people still face arbitrary arrest and torture in the hands of the police. Thousands more innocent Kenyans are yet to die as the police engage in exchange of fire with armed thugs if the recent ‘shoot to kill’ directive by the Security minister John Michuki is anything to go by.


Narc not better than KANU

The removal of KANU from power in 2002 by Narc has not made things any better. KANU was widely perceived, rightly or wrongly to be anti-reforms. The ushering in of the so called pro-reformists into power has not led to a stop of human right violation cases and enactment of a new constitution as per the wishes of majority of Kenyans. Instead, Kenyans have witnessed blatant abuse of power the same reformers of the 1990s, more open corruption in high public offices and endless partisan political bickering. But how did we get into this terrible mess? How did we as Kenyan voters contribute to it?
Voters do not know candidates
The beginning of all these problems stem from the very moment we cast our votes to individuals and parties who end up running the country as part of the government or the opposition. Our voting pattern has more often been guided by partisan, narrow and selfish political and economic considerations. Voters from the rural areas have often suffered the double tragedy of political ignorance and bullying by political godfathers.

“ The voting pattern of most Kenyans is largely influenced by factors of ethnicity, voter-bribery and intimidation from political leaders who as opposed to the track records and development agenda of the candidates” says Otieno Majuak from Apuoche in Gem.

This situation is compounded further by the fact that voters have little or no information at all about the people they vote in. “Lack of political information has also significantly contributed to poor choice of leaders. Not many voters know and understand the candidates they are suppose to vote for. In most cases, they (voters) are presented with candidates from party headquarters as ‘the party’s preferred candidate’ at political rallies to vote for. These candidates hardly talk about their credentials to deliver. All they talk about is that they have been ‘endorsed’ by the party,” says former Councilor for Marenyo Ward Sophie Ogosi.

Moses Opiyo, a youth development advisor and consultant with Center for youth in sustainable development (CEYSUD) in Nairobi support the sentiments of Sophie. “Most candidates present themselves to voters the last minute and this does not give voters a chance an opportunity to study the potentiality of the candidates. Some come with huge sums of money to bribe voters whereas others claim to have been sent by certain political heavyweights. This is the extent to which politicians have robbed voters of their conscience and freedom of choice, Says Moses.







But to what extent should voters trust such people?
Majuak says that the best way to choose the right candidate to any elective position is by “carefully looking at the manifestos of the parties they vie on, their development track record and their credibility as demonstrated by their actions rather than just talks. Most voters tend to think loud talkers and noisemakers are the ideal candidates. In most cases, they are dead wrong and the results are lack of development and more poverty. These are the same people you hear on radio or see on television making the loudest noise everywhere when elected as MPs”



Choosing the right candidates
n John Okinda
THERE are a number of ways and means you can use to decide whom to vote for in an election. If the candidate is not talking about issues that are not meaningful to you, if the candidate is abusive to the youth, women, children and other rival candidates, then that is a wrong choice of a leader. Don’t vote that person. If the candidate talks of zoning the country/constituency/ward according to party affiliation or clans/ethnicity, then that clearly shows he/she does not have the interest of the people at heart. Don’t even waste your time continuing to listen to such a person address you. More important, don’t vote such a person into power at all cost.

A good leader empowers people to be self –reliant
Remember that being rich and powerful is not good reason enough to want to be a leader. Chances are that women and youthful candidates will be able to understand your problems better and act on them. People who fail to keep their promise without any good reason, people who grab or eat public funds or property or who buy voters cannot make good leaders. It is important to remember that a good leader is able to mobilize his people to be self-reliant, stand on their feet and do things for themselves. A good leader teaches people how and where to get fish and does not bring you fish one day and leave you hungry the next day. How much a person contributes at Harambees does not prove whether he or she is a good or bad leader. In fact if a person contributes lots of money at every harambee, you should be suspicious. You must ask yourself where so much money like that could have come from. Was it taken out of our taxes that should have been used to build roads, hospitals, schools and piped water?





Have good reasons to vote your candidate
Remember that voting for somebody just because you have always done so, or because your husband, brother, mother or your friends have done so is a very bad reason. You need to have your own reasons based on fair assessment of the candidates and determining their abilities and capacities to deliver on the promises and facilitate the development of your area.


Choosing responsibly
ACCORDING to the League of Kenya Women Voters, obtaining a voters card and ensuring that your names are actually in the electoral register are small but important parts of the electoral process. It is your democratic right to vote fpr any candidate of your choice when elections are called. But making this decision can always be a very confusing task because of the many presidential, parliamentary and civic candidates.

If you are a member of a political party, you should take part in all the party activities including party nomination exercise. However, you do not have to be a member of any political party to vote in the general or by-elections. You are also under no commitment to vote for the candidate your nominated by the party you belong to, especially if you no longer have faith in the party or a particular candidate. You are free to vote for anybody you think is most suitable. This is what democracy we so much fought for is all about-freedom to choose responsibly.


What the voters in Siaya say about their leaders

n COMMUNITY TIMES REPORTER
ASKED whether they knew their MP and Councilor, many respondents said they had little or no knowledge at all about their local leaders. “Leaders must be people who are visible and accessible at all time, said Odiero from Rabuor in Gem.

Omondi from Alego-Usonga on the other hand argue that he has not seen his MP since his election 3 years ago. “Infact I only occasionally hear him mentioned over the radio and newspapers. I wish he could put on his boots, visit the villages more often so that he could see for himself the kind of problems his people face, he added.

When asked whether they are eligible voters, majority said they were and that they were ready for any election process anytime one is called. But what kind of leaders would they vote for? Majority of them agrees that their votes will definitely go to a concerned, responsible and a development conscious leader. “We need a leader who will act as a link between our people and their government, be their voice and air their problems in parliament” said one respondent from Sagam in Gem.

According to the responses received from a cross section of the residents, it emerged that most leaders this time round will be chosen depending on how much knowledge the public will have about them and the extent of their campaigns. Voting a candidate depends on a number of factors, ranging from his/her social to economic status. One striking factor that makes a candidate a voter’s favorite is his/her cordial relationship with the public and frequent and consistent participation in social and development activities. “A candidate who has a record of helping individuals, institutions and other charities score highly in the voters’ choice card” says Otengo’ from Anyiko-Sauri.

Those politicians who are fond of inducing votes with petty and tired promises like building hospitals, roads, schools and such like are in for a rude shock this time round. “I don’t really think we will be swayed by petty promises this time round. Instead, we will vote for one who advocates policies of wholeness, one who is sensitive to the issues that affect youth, women and children. He /she must be somebody with high standards of morals and a role model to his/her people” explained Odhiambo who is a youth leader in Marenyo.