Early Campaigns, Not Good For The Country.

Twenty months away from the 2017 General elections, politicians have started evoking political temperatures and subjecting the country to unnecessary tension. Just last week a foreign journalist expressed her dislike of the current early campaigns by a tweet that read, “It's literally full election mode here in Kenya and we have another year to go. Not sure I can take this”.

The frustrations by the journalist indicates the dangers that politicians are exposing our country to. One, early campaigns are putting Kenya in bad light, internationally, bearing in mind that our politics are “nasty and brutish”. Secondly, early campaigns may have consequences on our economy. Thirdly, they may also affect the already wanting quality of MPs’ work and other elected office holders. Fourthly and finally, early campaigns will only widen ethnic divisions among Kenyans.

Internationally, the increased political currents may scare away visitors and therefore harm the now recovering tourism sector. It is estimated that whenever there are political campaigns in Kenya the tourism sector suffers the biggest blow. Tourism is one of the major pillars of our economy and when business isn’t good our economy suffers. It shouldn’t be that whenever we have an election our economy should go down. Politicians should learn to conduct their business at the right time and in the right way without interfering with the normalcy of the country.

There is already an outcry that most MPs are underperforming apart from a few. Currently, the nation is protesting over laws that the Parliament passed without consulting the people. The Miscellaneous Amendment Act that altered the Judicial Service Commission Act were passed in Parliament without opposition from any member. This amendment is crucial and touches an institution that holds the key to peace in Kenya’s elections. Judiciary is the arbiter of last resort in a presidential election and therefore an institution that should be protected jealously.

Now this begs the question, how could this amendment have been passed by  349 MPs without them discussing the possible consequences of the amendment? We either have lazy MPs or they are already caught up in next elections campaigns. Claims that some of them are already being bought up worsens the situation. This a serious breach of service and a blatant betrayal to Wanjiku.

Apart from MPs, we have also seen Governors busy forming new parties ahead of 2017 elections. Kenyan politicians are power hungry and the only thing that they are innovatively thinking of is how they can retain it. Sadly, Wanjiku has only been left to be a hopeless spectator.

Sporadic ethnic conflicts are already being reported. As we speak people are fighting between the border of Kisumu and Nandi County. A few weeks ago it was between Nakuru and Narok County. This is not new in Kenya. Whenever the election mood has been set, there are politicians who are always ready to reap from conflicts.

The current political bickering and premature campaigns are of no importance to Kenyans. Politicians should tone down and commit to the task at hand. For Parliamentarians, there are still pieces of legislation that are pending. On the other hand, Governors performance isn’t convincing yet and the Presidency, must slay the dragon of corruption and deliver on a myriad of promises still pending.

Posted by Mzalendo Editor on Jan. 11, 2016

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