Keep off age debate, it won't drive our future

 

Flags fly half-mast at the parliament's entrance on April 27, 2022, as the body of the late former president Mwai Kibaki on the third and last day of public viewing. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

 

The age debate can be interesting but divisive in a political season like now — whether in online chatrooms, entertainment venues, rallies or whichever public places.

A twitterati last week posted a photo of East Africa Legislative Assembly MP Oburu Oginga and Nyeri Senator Ephraim Maina mocking their age. In a veiled attack on political golden agers, he captioned it: “This group can’t bring desired change in our country.” Another Twitter user hit back with a rhetorical question, asking why anyone would look down on old politicians yet they value and respect their grandparents, who are presumably as old. The growing sentiments around age have brought to the fore real or imagined fears around abilities and capabilities (or lack of it) of the young and the old eyeing public office. President Uhuru Kenyatta, speaking in Nakuru way back, waded into the age debate by cautioning a younger man eyeing a top seat to go slow and take heed lest finds himself trailing his older rival. The President says leadership is a marathon, not a sprint.

Uhuru has taken all the flack for dishing out plum State jobs to retirees, among them Uncle Moody Awori, Mary Wambui, Noah Wekesa, Marsden Madoka and Francis Muthaura. The President has put his feet down in defense of his ‘trust’ on the old guard.

Like elections everywhere, the August 9 vote has a good mix. Bomet is offering 24-year old Linet Chepkorir ‘Toto’ for Woman Rep. In Kisii County, Prof Sam Ongeri, 83, will be on the ballot seeking the governorship against a popular wave of 41-year-old Simba Arati.  

The previous election too had a few surprises. The youngest governor Stephen Sang who’s hardly 40 was elected and came in to serve alongside the likes of the late John Nyagarama, Cyprian Awiti, Anyang Nyong’o and many other seniors. Call them digital or analogue, it is myopic to gauge people’s capabilities on account of age. Growing old is a life process, not a reason to mock or ridicule. And being young isn’t a guarantee of agility and wit.

While age has a significant effect on behaviour and willingness to embrace change, scientifically it never determines performance or problem-solving abilities in a leader. Author Onyi Anyando says leadership isn’t about age but rather, influence, impact and inspiration.

The Kenyan voter be warned. Do not simply cast your lot with a candidate because he is younger, eloquent and energetic. Vet those seeking office on ground of ideas and ideas alone. The talk around ‘mzee kijana’ and ‘kijana mzee’ could be simplistic but can’t be ignored. We’ve seen older people with progressive ideas while some of the younger ones seem restless, less innovative and hell bent on peddling power and influence.

Any aspirant suggesting that because they are younger, they are more deserving of leadership should go tell it to the birds. The older generation, similarly, must not hide behind the ‘experience’ tag to suggest they are better off. It’s substance that matters.

Any party or candidate who for some reason ignores the old does that at their own peril. Between 75 per cent and 80 per cent of Kenyans are younger than 35. According to IEBC, this group forms 51 per cent of voters. But again, voter apathy is prevalent within this very bracket. It means the older people will still have an enormous impact on the outcome of the polls.

Forget age. Aspirant must tell us how they will grow the economy, fight poverty, end graft, unite us and tackle unemployment. We badly need institutional and constitutional reforms.  

The writer is an editor at The Standard