Some Crucial Lessons That The Just Concluded Party Primaries Have Taught Us.
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In the aftermath of the just concluded party primaries,
there are lots and lots of lessons we have learnt as Kenyans. The ensuing
results were both surprising and unexpected.
Majority of the outcomes signaled a generational and
ideological realignment in the Kenyan political scene. In one way or another,
the end product highlighted some fundamental truths about the Kenyan voter,
lessons that political leaders should heed beyond these primaries.
Even though the primaries had their own issues of electoral
malpractices and at times outright rigging, the people’s general will prevailed
in most of these cases.
Amongst the lessons we need to carry with us include:-
1. Wanjiku is
unforgiving and never forgets.
Politicians fond of playing games with Wanjiku have to brace
themselves for her ‘nyaunyo’ when her
time to make decision comes. Wanjiku this time showed us that she can be very
ruthless towards politicians known to cheat on her, disrespect or mishandle her.
Lesson:
As a
politician, always mind your language. Always match your actions with your
words because when the people say no, nothing can change that.
2. Never lose touch with Wanjiku.
The primaries also taught us that one can never afford to
lose touch with Wanjiku. Wanjiku needs to ‘feel’ you even when you aint there. These
primaries can be viewed as a form of protest vote, a kind of whip to punish the
‘wrong doers’.
The vote was Wanjiku’s language to declare who is boss and
those who had lost touch with the electorate were humiliated and shown the
door.
Candidates who were
able to captivate their audience’s attention and achieve an emotional
connection with the electorate carried the day.
Lesson:
Politicians must resonate with Wanjiku. Politicians must be there to share her triumphs
and her pains. Wanjiku wants politicians who are part of their lives.
(Related story: Wanjiku’s Wrath! Thika ‘Broom’ Sweeps All MCAs Except One.)
3. It is possible.
(Related story: Wanjiku’s Wrath! Thika ‘Broom’ Sweeps All MCAs Except One.)
3. It is possible.
The primaries saw so many political big shots floored by
very little known aspirants despite of their political and financial muscle.
However much these political bigwigs tried to hold ground,
it was apparent that the ground couldn’t hold.
Lesson:
You can
make it only if you try.
4. Never underestimate your opposition.
Among the renown
politicians who lost in the just concluded nominations did underestimate the strengths
of their opposition. Some of the newcomers were taken to be meek and very
harmless by being greenhorns in the political arena.
However, having been
aware of their shortcomings, the newcomers presented themselves directly to the
electorate and sold their ideas one on one. They endeared themselves to Wanjiku
and ended up being a darling to the electorate.
Lesson:
Always
keep your ears on the ground and never lose focus. You may not know what hit
you in the first place.
5. Know the demographics
of your area.
Politicians who generalised issues during their campaigns lost
ground in some areas as each region is unique in its own rights.
Candidates who scored most were those who were very
conversant with the challenges and needs of their electorate. Things worked so
well especially for those who used locals to spearhead the agenda in each area.
By ignoring or failing to address social issues meant that they lost touch with
the disgruntled locals.
At times politicians got rejected by the electorate just for
the mere reason that those leading their campaigns in a particular area were
considered ‘foreigners’ or were the ‘enemies’ of the locals.
Lesson:
In politics,
there is nothing like one-size-fits-all. Every place is unique in its own right
and politicians need to address these uniqueness wherever they go out to
campaign. They must also adjust their
content to their audience’s preferences and interests.
6. It's no longer
business as usual.
Another strong message that Wanjiku relayed to politicians
is that she was no longer ready to be taken for granted. The era when
politicians wooed the electorate with stupid goodies is long gone.
Wanjiku wants
someone who will bring forth permanent solutions to her woes.
For the first time we have seen politicians starting to sell
their candidature through manifestos. We have also witnessed them trying to outdo
each other in development projects and programmes aimed at empowering Wanjiku.
This is just but a beginning of a new era where issue-based
politics will start taking centre stage in campaigns. People are more or less
not getting carried away by propaganda and rhetoric. They are simply demanding
to know what the politicians can deliver.
Lesson:
It may
not be time yet but Kenyan politics are on the verge of being issue-based.
7. People are yearning
for real change.
For many years now, party nominations were never taken
seriously by majority of Kenyans and were left to a handful of ‘idlers’ to decide on who takes the
mantle to run on particular party ticket in the General Elections.
This year, things were different and very many people turned
up to nominate candidates to fly their parties’ tickets. The turnout was rather
so high just like in the general elections. This was a clear message that
people were tired of others making important decisions on their behalf. It was
a demonstration that they were tired of the status quo and were determined to
correct all errors committed in previous regimes.
This became evident as results started streaming. Majority
of the incumbents and those perceived to be forced into people’s throats were shown
the door.
Lesson:
Every
vote counts. Party primaries are what determine the future. By failing to
participate in the nominations, you assist the wrong people to get into office.
Everyone must participate in the primaries as this will be the only way to get
the change you want.
(See Also: Thika Decides: Mama Tano Tena.)
8. The elite are our worst enemies.
(See Also: Thika Decides: Mama Tano Tena.)
8. The elite are our worst enemies.
Thousands of the elites did cast their vote. They were very
busy following the proceedings online, in bars or offices as ‘analysed’ the results by either cursing
the people for the outcome or praising them for ‘punishing’ those they didn’t like.
As Wanjiku spent the whole day in the scorching sun waiting
for her chance to nominate their favourite candidates, the elite were busy
lazing around, too proud to be seen lining up with ‘hawa ma-idlers’.
Eventually, their inaction led to one or two bad leaders sneak
through the primaries thereby enhancing their chances of being elected as the
next set of leaders. This was so unpatriotic of them.
Lesson:
Bad
people are voted into office by those who don’t vote. As much as we demonise
the commoners for voting in the wrong people, we are equally wrong (if not
worse) for not participating in bringing in the right leaders.
9. Social Media is powerful stuff.
The primaries this year were in a very great extent
influenced by the political wars staged online. Social media dictated what was actually
debated offline by the general public and it is through the same platform that
some of the political bigwigs lost in the primaries.
Politicians who emerged most potent online reigned supreme
as their message spread so fast and was easily disseminated offline to the
traditional ‘analogue’ populace.
Lesson:
Social
media is a lethal weapon whose power cannot be underestimate. If well taken
advantage of, it may be your ticket to victory.
10. Generation Y factor
in elections.
Youth born in the late 80s and early 90s had a very
significant impact in the just concluded party primaries.
This is a generation generally marked by an increased use
and familiarity with communications, media and digital technologies. Their
upbringing is marked by an increase in a liberal approach to issues including politics
and economics. They are no pushovers and they will make decisions out of what
they deem right for them and not what the older generation wish them to.
In a departure from past voting patterns, these millennials
were so keen on candidates they resonated well with — those they perceived to
understand them better regardless of what the other generations thought about
their choice.
Due to this ‘civic-mindedness’, they were attracted to candidates
who had a strong sense of community and those they deemed smarter and prudent.
Lesson:
The
millennials will continue pulling surprises in the coming elections and
politicians should expect them to rebel on common trends associated with their predecessor.
Anyone wanting to succeed in politics must resonate with this generation.
Please note, the electorate are getting younger by day.
11. Our politics are
messier than we thought.
However much the political parties try to portray the
picture that their primaries were free and fair, so much underhand dealings
messed the whole exercise, much of which was perpetrated from the party
headquarters as well as by the candidates themselves.
There were cases of winners being denied their victory
through double voting, manipulation of results and also intimidation of voters,
agents and the candidates themselves. Rules governing the exercise were also breached
and used selectively in favour of certain candidates.
For instance, voters believed to be supporting certain
candidates were allowed to vote using their ID cards even though their names
did not appear in the register of the polling station. This loophole was used
by the perpetrators to vote more than once and in more than one polling
station.
On the contrary, voters thought to be supporting the
unfavoured candidates got turned away whenever their names failed to appear in
the register. In a few cases, the clerks would deliberately deny people a
chance to vote, claiming that their names were missing in the register.
(Related Story: How The ‘System’, Goons Were Used To Rob Me Of My Victory – Wainaina.)
Lesson:
(Related Story: How The ‘System’, Goons Were Used To Rob Me Of My Victory – Wainaina.)
Lesson:
We still
have a long way to go in terms of political fairness and integrity among those
mandated to execute serious exercises such as an election. Some of our leaders,
even at the helm of the national leadership, preach water but take wine. We need
to watch them very carefully.
12. Fake Opinion Polls
Predictive analytics is usually lauded as a crystal ball to
guide people with data necessary to make certain choices. But if what we
witnessed with majority of these polls, Kenyans now take each poll with a pinch
of salt. They now regard predictive analytics to be a waste of time.
Some of the candidates polled to be ‘winning by a landslide’ ended up losing dismally.
Is it possible that people lie to pollsters? Or do some
people fear share their loyalties with pollsters? Or is it a case of ‘He who pays the piper calls the tune?’
The same can be said of the media houses in Kenya. Majority of
them act in tune with the highest bidder.
Lesson:
We need to rethink the laws that govern opinion
polls as they seem to be abused by unscrupulous people and greedy pollsters. There
is also a need to keep regulating what the media houses relay to the general
public lest they end up being recipe to chaos and bloodshed.
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