Our chaotic parties should emulate ANC’s nationalistic zeal

By Billow Kerrow

African National Congress (ANC), South Africa’s ruling party, turns 100 years on Sunday.

It is celebrating its centennial anniversary not just as Africa’s best known liberation movement this century, but also one that has done better than most after holding together the ‘rainbow’ nation, which is also the continent’s largest economy.

More than 46 heads of state are expected to attend the celebrations of a movement that fought tyranny, exploitation and oppression by the racist white minority to free its people.

At the height of its gallant struggle against the horrendous apartheid regime, it was accused of being a terrorist organisation of barbaric and savage people. But led by its great statesman, Nelson Mandela, ANC fought the most powerful and brutal occupation this century to lead the 70 per cent African population to freedom and equitable existence.

At the infamous Rivonia trial in 1964, Mandela epitomised ANC’s vision to free its masses from servitude when he told the court that, "it is a struggle of the African people, inspired by their suffering and experience. It is a struggle to live. I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination.

I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities...an ideal which I hope to live and achieve...if need be, an ideal for which I am prepared to die." ANC can proudly claim this vision of its iconic leader is no longer a dream but a reality.

Today, South Africans of all races are equal and free. Its founding fathers are able to tell their citizens that they have walked the talk since they won their independence.

The black Africans despised by their white minority for decades have demonstrated their superior nationalistic zeal and leadership that has bonded people of all colours and tribes.

Do our political parties match the example of ANC? One can visit ANC’s cutting edge website to savour its history, register as a member or simply learn its structure.

Its rich site effectively keeps its ‘past alive and connects it with the present and future’. In Kenya, one may access only one or two of our parties on the web! Our oldest party, Kanu, just turned 50 years last year, a pale shadow of its yesteryears, but the event passed unnoticed.

Only last week, its leaders changed its name into some alliance, retaining the acronym. As an independence party, Kanu unfortunately cannot ride on its past liberation glory because of the heavy baggage of repression and bad governance it is associated with when it was in power.

ODM’s recent chaotic elections reflect the indiscipline and factional institutional leadership of our political parties. Devoid of political ideology to write home about, our parties rhetorical manifestos have failed to influence government policy to any measureable success, and the parties have remained merely as campaign vehicles for seeking an elective office.

They operate much like our matatus, with little regard for order. Internal democracy and accountability is alien to them, as the ‘deep-pocket’ leaders determine their survival or demise. The PNU Alliance is on its deathbed and it’s everyone for himself among the G7.

The much-touted UDM is in turbulent waters. With such a political landscape, who wants to join a party in Kenya? As Thomas Jefferson said, "If I could not go to heaven except through a political party, I would rather not go there at all".

The new Political Parties Act requires an independent and effective Registrar to midwife the reforms in the political parties, which are necessary for success of the next General Election. As the parties are now funded by the taxpayers, it is essential that they comply with law in all respects, especially in relation to the critical milestones in the countdown to the General Election.

Viva ANC!

The writer is a former MP for Mandera Central and political economist

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