Politicians, not voters are the real winners in our elections

Voters casting their ballot at Bidii Primary School, Nairobi, during the 2013 general election. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

“In a properly functioning political system,” says Edward Lucas in 'Freedom’s ragged march', an essay on democracy, “elections are just one of the checks and balances that constrain greed and ambition and protect the rights of citizens.”

Put another way, was this to hold true on August 9, (and in every other election) Kenya and all other democracies would be governed better, by the best of us.