Campaigns for senatorial and parliamentary positions in both Kericho and Malindi counties’ by-election slated for Monday March 7 are currently in top gear.
Political tempo has heightened in the country with both the rival CORD and Jubilee coalitions engaging in cut-throat competition to woo voters in order to win that election.
However, for keen observers, the campaigns bellwethers exactly what is expected to happen next year when the country holds its General Election. The mire senatorial and parliamentary elections have seen both top officials from the rival coalitions pitching tents in Malindi to campaign for their aspirants in a bid to test their popularity.
As unexpected, the by-elections have attracted the interest of other individuals from the non-political arena. The KNUT Secretary General Mr. Sossion was seen to have jumped on the bandwagon to rally for KANU’s Paul Sang, a former teacher.
Mr. Sossion persuaded teachers to vote for KANU’s candidate Paul Sang leveraging on the failure of Jubilee government to implement the earlier court order. The court order stipulated that teachers’ salaries be increased by 50-60 percent. Mr. Sossion should not use this moment to punish the Jubilee coalition by rallying teachers to vote as a block favouring a certain candidate due to his grievances with the ruling regime.
On the contrary, Deputy President William Ruto made several trips to Malindi and told the residents that since Dan Kazungu was appointed as CS for mining, they then have to reciprocate by electing a Jubilee aspirant.
I think this is misleading and misguiding the voters. Voters should not allow anybody to influence their decisions that will in turn affect them in future. Voters should be left alone to vote for leaders they believe will bring development projects to them and not those whom they are being forced to elect.
If voters in Malindi and Kericho fail in electing leaders who will perform, then we have a reason to worry. This is because this is a reflection of failure on the entire nation and our inability to choose leaders who can serve their citizens well.
Therefore, voters must prove that indeed, Kenya can be free from the scourge of corruption and inept leadership. They must show that they are agents of change for a better future.
People must be enlisted to reject party tribal alignments and line-ups, which cause ethnicity and tribalism that in the end, will result to chaos in the country.
Currently, voters need to think critically during the voting process. Patronage and divisive politics must be condemned by all. In so doing, voters will be sending a clear message that the future is indeed bright for our future generations.
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