How our leaders put power first and sacrifice people in game of deception

UDA supporters during a past rally at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi. [File, Standard]

It is now very clear that the only constant in the equation of Kenya's current crop of leading politicians is staying in power. Anything else can shift. Power is the point - the constant. Anything that stands in the way must go.People must go!

People can be relegated in importance - their significance shifted downwards. Those in power must have a second term! Taking care of the needs of the people is a distraction. Citizen's blood spilt by state agencies is dismissed as collateral. In other cases, the dead are blamed for their own dying. If they are indifferent to death, how much less to taxes and job losses! When the power seekers see people, they do not see humans in need of better lives. Rather, they see numbers-votes-almost to the level of addressing crowds as "Dear votes." Populations are seen as voting blocs and assessed based on their potential to fill up ballot boxes. As long as power is at the center, people will remain poor.