How Kenyans can rise above the Raila-Uhuru mentality

We have all been glued to our TVs and Radio this last week following because of elections. If we could have the same energy in demanding for accountability form our leaders, we would be a better country. It’s time for all Kenyans to start focusing their energies on things that directly affect them daily.

Where do the leaders live? Where do they work? Where do they take their kids to school, where are they treated when sick? Do they have constant water and electricity running through their taps? Well, you need to put your energies on this things because these are the people who will shape the kind of environment you live in.

First, I strongly advocate for all MCAs and MPs,Women Representatives, Senators and Governors to live within the constituencies they were elected. They have no business living in Runda when their Ward or constituency is Githurai.

If you’re the MP of Wajir, pack your bags and family members and move to Wajir, be treated there, have your children in university there, be treated there.

 It’s only by living there that they will feel how tightly the shoe fits constituents, if you cannot live within the constituency or ward you were vying for you have no business leading those people. Life is tough for all of us, also ensure you make it to parliament on time.

In Langata, we have perennial challenges in water supply, most of us only get water twice a week. To make it to work by 8am we have to wake up at 5am leave the house before 5:45 am, survive a 2 hour traffic before making it to work at 8am.

 Now where are our MP’s at this time? Are they also braving the traffic with you, are they receiving water only twice a week? Can we begin to demonstrate about such issues? Can we begin to make sure our leaders are every day working to make our lives better?

One huge win for Kenya was the new constitution. The powers of a president have been watered down significantly and more power given to the People and governors. No matter where you live in Kenya this issues are a reality to all of us, Water, Food, Education, Transport including the roads, Healthcare and such.

If we could diligently put everything on hold for one week to see presidential results stream in, we can each take an hour a month and try and figure out what our leaders are doing to improve our own lives. When Celebrating make sure you are certain about what your leaders are bringing to the table and celebrate by keeping them accountable.

When demonstrating ensure your frustrated about issues your local leaders have let you down on, It is too sad to lose lives without any clear agenda, we need to be all out in the streets demonstrating when our leaders cannot account for the resources given to them, when we have roads with potholes, when there is corruption, when hospitals have no equipment and doctors or water flowing in our taps (or having water at all in some counties, SIGH!).

Kenyan's Raila and Uhuru are too up the food chain, you have power right here to change your own lives. Let’s start focusing on issues not people. If you have noticed, once we put our minds on solving real these issues, tribalism becomes a non-issue.