Dear son, 'Niko Kadi' Isn't Enough for 2027

I hear you shouting “niko kadi” out on the street; saying you now have a voter’s card and are all set for 2027 election. This is as it should be: I was getting concerned about your lackadaisical attitude towards national politics.

But before you start walking around with a swagger, let me tell you this: in a game of cards, holding one card does not mean you will finish the game. So here are a few points to ponder before you start strutting around like a peacock, shouting “niko kadi!”

First, you and I must have a serious conversation about your poor record of showing up. See, holding all the cards in the world means nothing unless you can guarantee other players that you shall turn up for the game. Cards cannot play themselves. Collecting a voter’s card is one thing; showing up to vote is another.

And son, you have such a poor record of showing up that whenever you shout “niko kadi,” a good number of those who know your generation simply wink and say, “We shall see.” Besides your incurable lethargy, they list other reasons they do not believe you will turn up, including the obvious one: That all the local drinking dens today are packed with fellows your age, and if you ever turn up, your brain will be too befuddled to make any intelligent choice.

Secondly, son, you are a lousy gambler; and I am not even talking about your notorious habit of believing you can become a millionaire overnight without breaking a sweat. I am talking about your misunderstanding of the basic rules of the game. Doesn’t it seem odd to you that, in a game where survival depends on stealth, you are out there shouting your cards in the streets?

Son, make no mistake: you are up against the best card players in Kenya’s political poker; people who can read your hand before you even play it; a den of thieves who, with a glance here and a wink there, can gang up and force your hand too early in the game.

Will you be ready when they start playing dirty?

With just slightly more than one year to the election, have you even figured out what kind of person you want to vote for, or is your head still so lost in the clouds that you think flashing a voter’s card is the latest fashion statement? Even if you have someone in mind, do you know what you are voting for?

I doubt it. Right now, you probably wouldn’t decide between your right hand and your left, and will most likely vote for whoever someone else convinces you to vote for—and reject whoever someone else tells you to reject; because you are clueless about values such as integrity, decorum, honesty, and respect.

It is worrisome, from your “niko kadi” narratives, that no matter which political side you stand on, you seem to be swallowing, hook and sinker, every line that every politician throws your way. On the flip side, you seem to believe that some of them are messiahs.

Believe me, son, when you hear them call each other “cousin” or “brother,” they mean every word. And if you do not watch and listen more carefully, and learn their personal histories, then I fear that in 2027, you will vote against the devil only to elect the devil’s twin brother.

Another thing you need to do to back up your “niko kadi” posturing: You must earn some respect. Because, quite frankly, many of those flattering you and your “niko kadi” slogan have little respect for you. Instead, they believe that when all is said and done, you are just another noisy young fellow who can be silenced with a small token or easily turned into a brainless goon.

Son, as long as you continue outsourcing your youthful energy and mind to the highest, noisiest, most smooth-talking bidder, no one will take your “niko kadi” threat seriously--not now, and certainly not in 2027.