Let us 'sober up' and save our beloved country from potential decay

That the weekly anti-Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission demonstrations are turning violent, even fatal is a cause for worry for any right thinking Kenyan. I am afraid for my country, very afraid.

The fact that the demos are held on Monday, a working day is a direct affront to hardworking Kenyans whose daily sustenance is affected by unnecessary closure of business. It is also a mockery to hundreds of unemployed youths who are facilitated to make numbers for the politicians.

The leaders in our midst have hijacked the noble role of leadership and arrogated themselves the onus of herding masses in the direction that suits their personal interests, rather than serve needs of Wanjiku. Political leaders are important because they exercise the power of government, define distribution of power and resources, build relationships with other communities and help in making progressive decisions that should propel us as a nation.

Unique case

However, in our unique case we seem to have leadership that lacks responsibility, indulges in buck passing and mudslinging and none has ever come forward to own up to their mistakes and apologise for the same despite the mega scandals that are burdening the common person.

In 1796, George Washington noted that political parties may now and then answer popular ends; they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert power of the people and usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion. This sounds too familiar for comfort, does it not now dear Kenyans?

My humble prayer to leaders across the divide is to stop assuming the chess board approach when dealing with serious matters such as elections and corruption.

They need to exercise accountability and a level of honesty. They should focus their energies and time on the people rather than on cheap political grand standing, which is threatening to send this country into a precipice.

There is no problem that is insurmountable if all the parties are willing to move ground and meet in the middle for healthy discussions.

Kenyans must rise up for their survival and that of their children; the survival of an upright Kenya depends on your paying attention, getting a good government and good leadership as reinforced by Barrack Obama in 2006.

He reminded us that when we get lazy as a democracy and start taking shortcuts, the results will be seen in bad government and politics, a scenario we are all too familiar with as of now.

Resist the temptation to be compartmentalised into tribal cocoons for political gain and stand for justice and fairness. When Kenya burns, it is me and you who will be destitute and homeless.