The recent by-election results is sending shock waves among hitherto united political parties. Having lost two seats, PNU as we knew it is tottering in the brink of disintegration. With Kanu, Ford People, Ford Kenya, New Ford Kenya and ODM-K deserting the coalition, we may as well be staring a new political dispensation all together.
But wait a minute, are these mere political tantrums founded on nothing but hot air or signs of a sober reality check? Well, you guess is as good as mine given the original shaky grounds on which the coalition was founded in the first place. Just like Nark before it, PNU appear far past its sell-by date. But don't tell that to its supplicants lest you become a ready e-meal.
While political spin doctors will shamelessly peddle the lie that the new constitution has no place for pre-poll pacts, the reality lies elsewhere and they know it. No party formed singularly for convenience can stand the occasional political heat like the one brought about by the Kabogo-Sonko axis.
May be we have to witness all the present phase of amorphous grouping as a process of political maturing. But again, it is only in Kenya where the so-called leaders lie through their teeth and the voter including the Diaspora and bloggers buy the deceit line, hook and sinker. The journey to political maturity will surely be both torturous and painful.
Or may be the stillborn political baby christened Progressive Democratic Movement (PDM) will save the day and orphaned political faces. But you only bet on any Kenyan political sloganeering at you eternal peril. Talk is cheap. What is more, Kenyans never disappoint when it comes to waxing patriotic and intellectual albeit of the plastic genre.
Here comes the theatrics premiere of 2012 Kenya style now showing at a microphone and a camera near you. Enjoy, NA BADO.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Iron Lady Martha Karua Floors Giants in Polls
Her Nark-Kenya party has bagged two more parliamentary seats and in the process floored PM in Makadara, VP in Juja and DPM in both Makadara and Juja. She may not be ruling but Martha Karua reigns supreme, at least for these by-elections.
You have to give it to the iron lady from Gichugu and her bare knuckles political fights. Thanks to her resilience, William Kabogo and Gideon/Mike Mbuvi Kioko have acquired the honourable titles before their names.
With an average turnout of 40%, the three by-elections epitomizes the curse and cost of democracy. Well, people get the leaders they deserve but having such a low turnout flips the argument on its head. While the electorates may be blamed for failing in their collective and individual civic duty, it is difficult for the emerging MPs to claim to be comprehensive representative of the people.
The latest by-elections also exposed the folly of Kenyans expecting different politics from the same old brood. The campaigns took the predictable and partisan path that read like any script from the years of yore. And the voters have themselves to blame because they cannot turn around and demand any better after going to bed with the same scoundrels.
Just like exams being the worst form of evaluation but for lack of a functional alternative, democracy is surely a curse and damn expensive. It may be tempting to wax intellectual with a think-outside-the-box prescription but viability and practicality will dissuade such pretense.
We have laid our bed and must sleep on it with all the moulds underneath. In the meantime congratulations to William Kabogo, Sonko Mbuvi and Bishop Dr Margaret Wanjiru. All the three winners owe their success to no king-pin with Mbuvi drawing the thickest of political blood while Kabogo has whipped the UK-Wiper alliance.
What is more, Bishop single-handedly upset the bookmakers even with ODM's lukewarm support. Well, I guess the cast will be complete when Maina Njenga becomes the Governor of Nairobi in 2012.
You have to give it to the iron lady from Gichugu and her bare knuckles political fights. Thanks to her resilience, William Kabogo and Gideon/Mike Mbuvi Kioko have acquired the honourable titles before their names.
With an average turnout of 40%, the three by-elections epitomizes the curse and cost of democracy. Well, people get the leaders they deserve but having such a low turnout flips the argument on its head. While the electorates may be blamed for failing in their collective and individual civic duty, it is difficult for the emerging MPs to claim to be comprehensive representative of the people.
The latest by-elections also exposed the folly of Kenyans expecting different politics from the same old brood. The campaigns took the predictable and partisan path that read like any script from the years of yore. And the voters have themselves to blame because they cannot turn around and demand any better after going to bed with the same scoundrels.
Just like exams being the worst form of evaluation but for lack of a functional alternative, democracy is surely a curse and damn expensive. It may be tempting to wax intellectual with a think-outside-the-box prescription but viability and practicality will dissuade such pretense.
We have laid our bed and must sleep on it with all the moulds underneath. In the meantime congratulations to William Kabogo, Sonko Mbuvi and Bishop Dr Margaret Wanjiru. All the three winners owe their success to no king-pin with Mbuvi drawing the thickest of political blood while Kabogo has whipped the UK-Wiper alliance.
What is more, Bishop single-handedly upset the bookmakers even with ODM's lukewarm support. Well, I guess the cast will be complete when Maina Njenga becomes the Governor of Nairobi in 2012.
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