By Anyang’ Nyong’o

The word ‘party’ in the concept "political parties" is key to understanding the origins and meaning of political parties. But after almost 30 years of one-party rule in this country the word ‘party’ in the concept ‘political parties’ almost lost its meaning in Kenya.

Since to be in any other political party, or even to conceive of forming any other political party, was almost tantamount to signing one’s death warrant Kenyans lost the idea or feeling of what political parties really are. They only associated the concept to being in Kanu; being with Moi; ruling other people; enjoying exclusive political power; meeting self interest of self, family, friends and tribe; manipulating power and staying there by hook and crook.

In 1990/1991 when we formed the National Democratic Party (NDP) we challenged this perverted notion of politics and political party belonging that Moi had imposed on Kenyans. For Kenya to have social and economic progress they needed to democratically elect their government and keep it accountable to the people as one nation in which all citizens related to each other as equals enjoying the same rights, opportunities and choices.

The NDP, led by Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Salim Ndamwe, Labua Nene and Hezekia Ougo – but with us (Achieng’ Oneko, Munyua Waiyaki, Luke Obok, Joe Ager and myself) in the background – was refused registration by the Moi regime and eventually banned. An appeal in court filed by James Orengo challenging the refusal to register provided a good opportunity to explain to Kenyans the aims and objectives of NDP; but the judges then only knew one thing as the political party: Kanu.

The Nairobi Law Monthly, published and edited by Gitobu Imanyara, gave wide publicity to the NDP and all its copies in which the Constitution and the manifesto were published sold out within one week. Kenyans were thirsty to hear about a political party that was not Kanu; they liked what they heard and read but were not allowed to be party to it.

To be party to something means to belong to, to identify with, to be immersed in, to believe in and to fight for something. One always goes to attend only one party at a time; and the aim is to enjoy that party, to stay there and to leave when one has been fulfilled or to abandon when one is fed up. But one cannot attend two parties at the same time; your interest will be divided and your night spoilt if while attending one party you keep telephoning another person at another party to find out how well that other party is so as to enjoy both!

Kenyans have gone a long way since the days of the banning of the NDP to form, organise, and belong to political parties, which aim at promoting certain interests in building the young democracy called Kenya. But we have not yet institutionalised these interests with rules, regulations, values, goals, visions and missions which members consciously defend, promote and identify with in the same way we see members of the ANC in South Africa do.

Why is this the case? I will give you a few reasons.

First, there are very few people, which form, belong in and fight for political parties in Kenya because of certain ideas, and ideals they want to promote, create vision they have for Kenya and certain commitments they have for democracy. Most people join and stay in political parties because they want to be elected to Parliament or local government councils.

Now, there is nothing basically wrong with this. We cannot build our democracy without individuals offering themselves for these elections and competing under rules that are constitutionally allowed. But this will not make us build a strong and viable democracy.

Precisely because this is our concept of what it means to belong to political party, it is only in Kenya where it is possible to be in two or more political parties at the same time! In other words here it is possible to attend two or more parties and enjoy all at the same time!

Second, Kenyans find it rather difficult to sustain the life of a political party that loses in an election; political parties, which lose elections usually go into a long period of slumber after the loss, and waking up again to fight another election can be a tough nut to crack.

Third, even when we form dynamic national political parties with progressive ideas to provide this nation with social progress, we tend to destroy such parties by resorting to parochial and ethnic interests when we compete for positions within these parties or in governments, which these parties form. Thus, as soon as a party wins an election, the parochial interests take over and the party interests are pushed to the back banner.

Fourth, the Moi regime spoilt Kenyans with the quest for money. Politics became closely associated with money. Politics became highly commercialised. Politicians became money prostitutes. This money-based politics where one does not want to venture into any community to campaign without money is our undoing.

It becomes extremely ridiculous when leaders of a political party put pressure on the party leader that there is nothing they can do to build the party in any way whatsoever until the party leader finances them. Yet there are so many things that can be done in a political party without money. What certain so-called leaders lack are ideas and social imagination.

Finally, when all is said and done, at least now we are off to a good start with a Constitution that is specific about political parties and a law that seeks to bring discipline and order into political parties.

In this regard I am a Bolshevik; I believe that belonging to and building a political party is not a laughing matter in a society like ours. It requires hard work, discipline, sacrifice and a —The writer is Minister for Medical Services