Culture of commercial politics our bane

Latest media reports that aspirants of the presidential race are lining up tens of billions of shillings as their war chest for the forthcoming election, are worrying.Agreed, finances during competitive election campaigns are supposed to help in planning, mobility, mobilisation and effective execution of campaign programmes by parties and candidates. But in Kenya’s case, there is a scary element of vote buying, undue influence to voters and election officials and outright manipulation of the electoral process. That points to a slide towards corrupt, undemocratic elections. A recipe for political instability.‘Big money for votes 2012’ has been linked to contenders Raila Odinga, Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, George Saitoti, Kalonzo Musyoka, Peter Kenneth, Raphael Tuju and lately Musalia Mudavadi. They are said to be amassing billions to power their way to succeed President Kibaki.It is the destructive outcome, both politically and socially, of ‘bought leadership’ that Kenya is desperate to undo and overcome. Commercial politics has become the bane of our politics.‘Big money for leadership’ has its origin in the past years of former President Jomo Kenyatta when his senior succession antagonists resorted to crafty, undemocratic maneuvers to pack Parliament with cronies whom they hoped to use to outsmart rivals to power. But at that time they juxtaposed "bought leadership" with crude assassinations of opponents, primitive political thuggery and ethnic manipulation. Those were the days of the infamous ‘change the Constitution’ insurgency within ruling Kanu.Dirty tricksThese were the years of Gema community oath-taking that purported to bind the Gikuyu, Embu, Meru and Mbeere tribesmen to restrict the presidency in the ‘House of Mumbi’ plus the presidential motorcade not going beyond River Chania et cetera.Those also were the days when the Provincial Administration and murderous gangs of political activists were paid to abduct and torture unwanted political opponents to cripple their campaigns, block them from presenting their nominations to election officials or to block them from witnessing irregular votes tallying.These traits were unfortunately adopted intact and even broadened by the post-Kenyatta regimes. Unfortunately, post-Kenyatta leaders perfected the worst of the electoral malpractices and further entrenched dictatorship and the ‘big man syndrome’ politics.The political police got strengthened turning Kenya into a police State, political freedoms were curtailed and the culture of buying leadership enforced by the political police and party dictators was devolved to constituencies.It was also replicated in party grassroots elections to ‘prune out’ ‘unwanted’ persons and plant stooges. During the dark era there was a bit of control of the big money poured to buy elective posts.Often the money could be dished out from the seat of power to the target candidates through senior, carefully selected regional political prefects. This culture has been perpetuated through political generations. People in power have used the ‘lethal’ weapon of big money to buy power and manipulate voters.It is bad the culture is finding its way into the new constitutional dispensation. These are some of the dirty games, or are they ‘regrettable political cancers’, Kenyans should have left behind by now. It is sad leaders are still urging Kenyans to vote for them to get power and bring reforms yet they still plot to confuse voters with mysterious billions — to shamelessly buy leadership.As we approach the elections, let the voter beware of moves by these politicians, some of whom are keen to perpetuate divisive, raw and commercial politics.Worse still, the source of some of these billions remain mysterious, if not suspect. Some of the politicians cannot justify how he earned the billions if tasked to.Or is this a message to Kenyans that they should brace themselves for economic and financial crises in the aftermath of the coming elections thanks to the insatiable lust for power by a few politicians out to buy leadership?{Barnabas Njoga, Via Email}Why waste Sh3.2b tax on PEV cases?Move by the Government to spend over Sh3.2 billion to revive 5,000 post-election violence cases, which have been dormant at the office of the Director of Public Prosecution is political and a waste of tax-payers money.It is four years since Kenya went through a political turmoil and it beats logic for the Government to restart the cases which have been with them for all that period. Why does this process come immediately after the confirmation of charges against the four prominent Kenyans accused of masterminding the skirmishes?The Government had a choice of handling this issue before it proved to the world its judicial structure could not handle the situation prompting the ICC to pick up the cases. The Government should be advised to use the huge amount to resettle the displaced persons who are still living miserable lives at camps as we approach national elections.{Moses Nyamori, Eldoret}Politicians need to talk less, act moreOur leaders need to stop engaging in mere rhetoric and instead act to help alleviate challenges that have for long hindered the growth and development of the country.The perpetual commonplace chatter that most politicians revel in instead of engaging the citizenry in real policies that will lead to the improvement of their welfare, ought to cease if the country will realise her dreams and potential.The same spirit of putting words to action needs to be taken up by the political parties that these politicians ride on, on their way to Parliament.This will ultimately ensure our development agenda is firmly vested in the able leadership of its leaders.{Virginia Thara, Runyenjes}It’s time to invest on roads maintenanceFrom Thika superhighway to urban roads and access roads across the country, billions of money have been spent on building and rehabilitating infrastructure. However all these could go down the drain unless a deliberate effort to allocate sufficient funds for repair and maintenance of this expensive public utilities. Our infrastructure has been ruined by elements of weather, neglect and criminal activities such as overloading and vandalism. The latter has proved the most dangerous, thanks to scrap metal scavengers.It’s time we got serious and invested in infrastructure maintenance through budgeting and addressing vandalism.{Onyiego Felix, Nairobi}Ours is a perfect ‘Animal Farm’ societyAnybody conversant with the George Orwell’s Animal Farm cannot fail to see its re-enactment in Kenya today. The satire’s clarity is enhanced by the new Constitution which, much to our delight, is claiming casualties from the high and mighty. For those who might not have read the book, it’s a satire about the inequalities in society where leaders preach water but drink wine. It’s about oppression and fooling the disadvantaged but ending up in ignominy. We are seeing that happen in Kenya, which passes for a land of many contrasts, literally and metaphorically. Nobody expresses those contrasts and contradictions more amply than the ‘learned’ comrades. When they double up as politicians, they give us a migraine, they can be so exasperating. Court orderFor instance, suspended Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza now believes the Judicial Service Commission was incompetent to recommend a tribunal to investigate her and has obtained a court order against the tribunal proceedings. Kenya is, perhaps, the only country where you choose to be investigated or not and the courts will oblige. Ambassador Bethuel Kiplagat chose not to be investigated and refused to resign, he has his space and life continues!A lawyer says a tribunal set up to investigate Baraza could take upwards of a year. Where is the justice and rationale in setting up a 10-man tribunal, on hefty salaries ofcourse), to investigate a simple incidence of nose-pinching for a whole year? Do they have to trek to Timbuctu to adduce evidence?Tribalism (call it protectionism), is internalised and Baraza’s kinsmen, led by minister Moses Wetangula, plan to hire top-notch international lawyers to slug it out with the tribunal. Don’t we have competent lawyers around? Haven’t we learnt anything from the goofs at the ICC?Political thrillersHow many MPs still recall the National accord and what it embodies? I love Kenya, I love the Constitution and love our politicians too, they add spice to an otherwise dull life. They make my mind run on overdrive and I find it exhilarating. {Alexander Chagema, Kakamega}FeedbackAttacks on MP over ‘Raila tosha’ call undemocraticThat some youths in Lari constituency visited violence on the homestead their MP David Njuguna (pictured) because he requested Preisdent Kibaki to support Premier Raila Odinga presidential bid is undemocratic.These acts of hooliganism and political intolerance has no place in modern Kenya — particularly under the new Constitution.Mr Njuguna has every right to express his opinion without fear or favour. This is a freedom guaranteed to all by this Constitution. This right is not negotiable and nobody can supposedly take it away from him.Such acts aimed at spreading fear, hate and creating divisions among Kenyans should be condemned. Is this a message that Central Kenya is unwiliing to support a candidate outside their backyard? Kenyans should not forget that history was re-written when Raila declared ‘Kibaki Tosha’ in 2002 and that Raila allies are just requesting for a ‘return of favour’. Those rooting for a reciprocal gesture from Kibaki should not be persecuted.Meanwhile, police should move with speed, investigate this matter and bring culprits to book. This is hooliganism and has no place in our society. Peter Kihara, KenyaThe burning of the vehicle belonging to Mr Njuguna due to his support for Raila candidacy is in bad taste and should be condemend. Residents of Lari have millions of other options to express their ‘unwelcome’ displeasure than to turn to violence. They should know even their favourite candidate can’t make it without the rest of Kenyans.Theirs was an undemocratic act and a threat to national unity. Bokombe Bw’aguta, Kenya&#12288;&#12288;&#12288;

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