Political parties are at it again! Instead of being genuine organisations and vehicles for influencing Government policy and development agenda, they are fast turning into tribal enclaves.

While the path to ethnic orientation of parties is deeply rooted in Kenya since Independence, as we head to the General Election we must not lose sight of a Kenya for all Kenyans, a united and peaceful country that can stand the test of peace, unity and democracy.

Kenyans be warned the political class is busy building tribal groupings and whipping up ethnic support. It is bad for the country; it stifles democracy, promotes insecurity, and scares away investors. It is bad for our children and their future.

Tribal groupings are being launched at the expense of internal democracy in parties, which is sacrificed for self-survival. For as long as there is always conflict between current leaders and upcoming leadership, internal party processes take second place and patriotism is compromised.

Tensions are evident between political rivals and parties continue to be built around personalities, which are used to push vested interests.

It is commonplace now that when an individual quits a political party that sponsored him to Parliament, he announces it in the company of tribesmen and women who cheer him and strangely recognise him as their hero.

South Africa’s ANC

Parties are expected to espouse and express ideology or vision bolstered by a written platform with specific goals, forming a coalition of different interests.

This they should do in manifestoes, but what we see is a copy and paste of ideas, which is hurriedly stitched together and registered with the custodians. There is no equivalent of South Africa’s ANC.

Observers have noted that many local political parties have actually deviated from their original objectives to being election instruments owned and used by individual politicians to secure their voters’ support for their perpetual sojourn in Parliament and Government.

Even as political parties rushed to beat the April 30 deadline by which they were expected to file returns to the Registrar of Political Parties the drama of membership and defections has dumb-founded observers.

Few parties have committed membership. It is common practice when the well-endowed members pay up life membership as a show of friendship or sycophancy rather than allegiance to ideals, vision, and development agenda of the parties.

It is a shame that even with Political Parties Act in place and the laws very clear, many legislators, councillors are busy campaigning for rival parties while still enjoying proceeds of seats they won courtesy of a different party. This shows lack of principle and inherent weaknesses of political parties.

When membership cards are made available, they are bought by individual politicians for distribution to supporters or as a weapon to deny their opponents’ supporters access to party machinery. It is, therefore, normal to find a voter with membership cards of two or more parties.

It has become fashionable for MPs and political bigwigs to defect to parties that identify with tribal inclination every electioneering period at the expense of building national cohesion and promoting merited leadership.

But why should determinants of nationhood be interests and bonds of family, clan, and tribe as opposed to membership to a political organisation with a clear vision to improve the lives of every Kenyan and propel the country into a middle-income nation?

Many able Kenyans have been denied a chance to showcase their leadership potential, many professionals forced to shy away from elective offices, and public service roles because of fear of tribal stigma and ethnic machinations.

winning candidate

The new Constitution envisages a new Kenya for all. While Kenya retained the presidential system, the winning candidate is expected to name a running mate and must garner 50 per cent-plus one vote and secure at least 25 per cent of votes in 24 of 47 counties.

What this means is that no one or two tribes can secure such a threshold. Kenya is for all communities and minorities have every right to belong to the nation.

The elections held in 2002 went into the annals of history as a milestone in which the dragon of ethnicity was slayed. It brought both an end to the 40 years of Kanu rule and demystified tribal groupings.

Kenyans were united for the sake of their country. Kenyans have stood against tribalism before. They can do it again now.