Civic education has been sacrificed at the altar of campaigns

When the first elections under the new Constitution were held in 2013, there was palpable excitement especially because of the introduction of devolution in Kenya's governance and fiscal framework. I remember attending civic education sessions in Busia and Migori counties and interacting with citizens as they spoke excitedly about their incoming new governments and the calibre of leaders they were going to elect. It was clear that enough voter and civic education had been carried out in the period prior to the elections and the citizens were clear on the parameters to be considered for different offices in the county governments.

For the office of Governor for example, citizens knew they were looking for a chief executive, a person who could oversee the planning and implementation of programmes and manage resources. They knew they were not looking for the typical politician.

It is therefore not surprising that most Governors elected in 2013 were from the private sector, ex-managers in parastatals and NGOs. Only a few were active politicians. Of course, we forgot to preach about the quality of leader who deserved to be an MCA, and look at the price we've paid! But generally, the conversation on qualities of the leadership being sought was vibrant and heavily informed the voters' choices.

Erroneous assumption

Fast forward to this year. For some reason, civic education has been sacrificed at the altar of short-term political campaigns. As far as I know, there is no significant civic education being carried out by either governmental or non-governmental institutions.

There is little or no voter education going on through the IEBC. There is an erroneous assumption that Kenyans are no longer in need of civic or voter education, having elected their first batch of representatives under the Constitution successfully. Nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, the challenges that be-devil the voter this year are more acute than in 2013.

The successful launch of county governments has led to a peak in the interest in leadership in the devolved units. Every politician worth their name has gone to the counties seeking to be Governor. Every business and professional elite with local connections wants to be an MCA.

Unfortunately, in the cacophony of voices seeking votes, whether party candidates and independents, there is little or no conversation about the quality of leaders the county government needs. Even the reasoned negotiations that balanced conflicting ethnic, clan and regional interests in the counties in 2013 is absent. Elections 2017 is a free for all.

Campaign rhetoric

The impact of such an election, in which the vote will be defined, not by substance, but by six piece suits and the decibels of campaign rhetoric may be injurious to these nascent devolved units. What better time then, to remind Kenyans, that in the new constitutional architecture, focus on quality of leadership must not be only at the national level.

This is the season to remind voters that the nature of leadership at the county may actually matter more than national leadership. It is at the county level that most decisions on service delivery that directly impact the voter will be made. It is at the county that opportunities for effective citizen engagement on policy and planning exist. It is at the county that decisions that have impact on local investment and growth are made.

Unfortunately, the high octave drama that has accompanied this year's national elections have the capacity to muffle the critical importance of county elections. The high drama has given the impression that all that matters is a win at the top, and we have forgotten that the 2010 Constitution was about redistributing power to the county level so that the fortunes at the top were not everything.

The message that must reach the voter is that while they need to keep their eye on the national prize, their future is indelibly linked to county elections. As we head to the eighth of August they must keep their eye on National and County balls, and if they must focus on only one, ensure it is the county one.

 - The writer is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya