As the election nears I cannot help but feel disheartened by the prevailing political climate. Tribalism remains dominant in this electoral cycle as it has in previous cycles. Policy and national interest have predictably been overshadowed by the selfish interests of the so-called tribal kingpins.
The critical nature of the upcoming elections I fear is not something we as citizens appreciate. The cost of living in our country has risen and it is becoming almost impossible to cope, our institutions remain in a state of disarray yet tribal allegiances persist at the expense of the common good.
It is therefore critical that we reset the clock. The only way to do this is to exercise our right to vote responsibly. An irresponsible electorate can only usher in irresponsible leadership and any electorate that allows tribal considerations to prevail over the national interest is an irresponsible electorate.
We must not allow tribalism to dominate this electoral cycle as it blinds us to the incompetence and corruption of candidates. We must press candidates at all levels from the county assembly to the presidency on their policies. We must deny those who have proven to be incompetent and corrupt another opportunity to enrich themselves at our expense.
This is a critical hour for Kenya. The future of the country is at stake, it is therefore incumbent upon us to take ownership of our country. We must elect competent leaders whom we can trust to improve the economic situation in the country, foster justice, a culture of accountability and transparency and who will put the national interest over selfish interests. We must remain united in the pursuit of a more prosperous nation and refuse to be divided along the lines of tribalism, religion and economic status.
Kenya is our country and our choices in this upcoming election will decide its fate so vote responsibly as I fear the nation may not recover if we choose to exercise our right to vote irresponsibly.
INSIDER’S OUTLOOK 