Why President Uhuru Should treat Bomet protest march with utmost care

President Uhuru Kenyatta [File, Standard]

While there is no doubt politicians use emotional appeal strategically, it is not clear if such schemes are informed by professional norms or by scrutiny on the effect of their sentiments.

The walk-out by Bomet leaders during President Uhuru's visit may be a bird's view of the new shape politics that region is taking.

The extensive media coverage of the Lake Region Economic Block conference and the highly publicized protests provide Kenyans with an opportunity to make inferences about the region's fragile political self-esteem.

It is assumed that the leaders were going to seek answers to President Uhuru's choice in 2022 General Election. It is also assumed that the President was going to be put on the spot on why Bomet County was never considered in key Government appointments.

To many political polemicists, this was not only going to put the President in an awkward position but was skewed to create a window of hate and political conspiracy in the region. The move by Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso, to change the program was seen as a wise move that was meant to protect the President.

Prior, to the meeting in Bomet, President Uhuru had been on the neighbouring Nandi County to preside over a funds drive for the construction of Anglican Church of Kenya plaza in Kapsabet Town. While president Uhuru was in Nandi County, the entire leadership was careful not to touch on the highly emotive topic of 2022 succession.

Through Governor Stephen Sang requested for a meeting between the President and local leaders at State House, ideally, politicians are unreliable but they 'speak' on behalf of the people they represent.  To the Nandi leaders, that was a great show of political maturity.

Personally, I have no problem with the sideshows that bedeviled the Lake Region Economic Block conference in Bomet but it is time we differentiated what is of economic importance to the county, and popularity contests. Populism is outdated.

 Bomet leadership had better channels to reach out to the President like their counterparts in Nandi. Given the intense passions that political issues elicit and the striking contrasts between different people deeply held political values and beliefs, it seems only natural for us to turn our attention to our history. However, President Uhuru should look into how to deal with the regions obsession with 2022 politics.

Dr. Gilbert Kipngetich Soi is a lecturer at Kenyatta University.