Milking political capital from plight of heroes is wrong

BY KIRATU KAMUNYA

We are indisputably in the election season! In some other parlance, this season would be called the silly season. This is the time for political intrigues to play out in the eyes of everyone who wields a voter’s card. Political operatives will fall over each other in a bid to win voters to their respective sides.

Granted that our country is aligned to democratic ideals like holding elections at regular intervals, it is both permissible and desirable for politicians to drum up support during campaigns. But since most of the voters are susceptible to political deception, it is vital to warn voters.

Every one hopes that the IEBC will quickly put its house in order as soon as possible and embark on one of its most critical mandates  – voter education – together with other key players.

A good example to exemplify the nature of political stunts during campaigns is the ongoing whistle-stop tours by ODM to the homes of carefully selected national heroes.

The whole idea is to cast ODM as party which cares for the plight of the forgotten icons of our society who made contributions one way or the other in the assembly of our homeland. However, on scratching beneath the surface, certain glaring facts about the party will open the eye of the voter to see the real motivation of ODM’s sudden fondness for national heroes.

To begin with, senior ranking officials of the party have served in Government for many years. How have they participated in addressing the plight of our national heroes?

Members of the family of one of the late heroes were quoted the other day expressing a sigh of relief that finally, senior Government officials had paid them a visit since his assassination.

This was in reference to senior ODM figures present during the tour, some of who are serving in  Government or have served it in the past.

Inexorably, a thinly veiled attack was being directed at the party as well.

Poisoned chalice

For ODM, it was an opportunity to apologise for individual and collective failures but instead the party chose to take the credit. Unwittingly, the party was basking in the glory of a poisoned chalice.