Notes from the Mzalendo Launch: On Apathy

In the course of the speeches at the launch of Mzalendo 3.0 yesterday apathy emerged as a major challenge to the country’s democracy and progress. In fact the topic of political apathy came up in every speakers talk almost as frequently as its sister topic, public participation. One of the most poignant quotes of the morning, for me at least, was that “the cost of apathy is to be ruled by evil men.” Translation, apathy is expensive, down right unaffordable, unless we find the premise of being ruled by evil men an acceptable one.

Are we as Kenyans politically apathetic, business as usual, seemingly content and happy even in the face of flagrant violations of our democratic and human rights? When we see something that is blatantly wrong do we do something about it? Or do we turn in the opposite direction or worse bury our head in the sand muttering “kazi iendelee” or “that’s the way things are” or “this is Kenya get used to it,” and get on with it. Is the widespread apathy a result of feeling alienated and excluded from the country’s political and economic structures or is it a result of lack of adequate information to participate effectively in governance issues?

In way it doesn’t really matter which road to apathy we take through inaction we contribute, or acquiesce through our silence to the institutions, leaders, rules, and processes that define our country today. John Githongo during his talk pointed out that through our collective apathy crucial opportunities to substantially change Kenya’s political reality have been missed - first in the referendum of 2005, and then in the period following the 2007/2008 post-election violence.

He did point out however that where as the old dispensation furthered the alienation and exclusion of the citizenry from political and economic power structures, the new constitution provides for extensive participation by citizens in all aspects of governance and places a positive duty on the people to participate in the country’s reform processes. But how many of us can honestly say we are taking advantage of the constitutional right to actively participate in the country’s governance? How many can say they have participated in the budget processes, or contributed to the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission public hearings on the delimitation of the constituencies, or in the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission hearings?

When a similar question was asked at the launch less the 20% of the participants raised their hands. When asked how many watched the processes on the television that number went up substantially. While watching the public hearings on television may be a start to public participation it is hardly enough? While we complain about the state of the country our leaders and their antics it is incumbent on us to do something about it. After all reform is an active process rather a passive one.

What are your thoughts on political apathy in Kenya?

Posted by Mzalendo Editor on Feb. 9, 2012

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