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Entry into an election year is always a good time to reflect on where the country is and how the leadership we chose impacts the direction in which we go. The year/years preceding this one have been particularly difficult, what with inflation in the 19-20% range, interest rates in the 20-30% range, high unemployment, strikes in essential services i.e. health care and education, the declining value of the shilling, the ICC cases, poor economy, IDPs still in camps, the country’s incursion into Somalia…the list of issues seems endless, that is how we vote in the next election is critical.
The new dispensation comes with changes to the electoral system and a new Elections Act that will hopefully change the way in which we vote, the factors that influence our votes and for whom we vote. The incumbent president’s final term ends this year so the country will be getting a new president come the next election. For any of the presidential candidates to win the election, under the new electoral rules, they have to garner an absolute majority of votes nation wide and at least 25% of the vote in a majority of Kenya’s 47 counties, failing that there could be a run off between the two leading candidates. The requirement for national appeal of the candidates will hopefully curb to some extent the cycle of over-reliance on ethnic groups and appealing to tribal interests evident in previous presidential races.
The country is also moving from a unicameral system to a bicameral one. Instead of just over 200 elected representatives in the current parliament, we will have 300+ elected representatives; I try not to think of the tax implications. As of 2012 elections, and subject to the ongoing boundary review, 80 new constituencies will be added to the National Assembly. There will be a senate with 68 members (47 elected from each county and 16 women nominated by each party). In the coming election year the country will be voting for its highest number of elected representatives ever. Kenyans will not only be voting for the President, Members of Parliament, and Senators, at constituency level we will be voting for governors, county assembly members, councillors and mayors. Keeping all the parties, candidates, positions, let alone their politics and policies will be a task.
However despite the potential for confusion in the next election if we want to change the “hakuna matata but also hakuna maji, hakuna stima, hakuna gas” cycle we will have to stay on top of the information and back leaders willing to change the status quo. Ignorance and lack of information play a large part in how we exercise our democratic right vote so knowing the candidates and their politics is crucial. The first election of under the new dispensation brings to mind the saying, “start as you mean to go on”. The stakes in the 2012 election are high, but so is the potential for change it would be a shame if we wasted it.
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