Kenyans will celebrate on the eve of August 9, 2022 General Elections when the cacophony of the 11,300 contestants wooing them to elect them for the six coveted elective seats comes to and end.
The vacant seats are the presidential, gubernatorial (47), senatorial (47), County Women Representatives (47), Members of Parliament (290) and Members of the County Assembly (1,450).
According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati, over 21.2 million voters have been registered ready for the constitutionally set exercise and date, held once every five years.
So far, women candidates are a drop in the ocean among the 11,330 candidates from 63 registered political parties by the Registrar of Political Parties. Only three parties are led by women; they are Narc Kenya (Martha Karua, who is a former Cabinet Minister and the Azimio la Umoja coalition’s presidential running mate) and Narc, whose chairperson if outgoing Kitui Governor and former Cabinet Minister.
The breakdown of the job-seekers is as follows: four presidential candidates; 183 for Governor, 263 for the Senate, 1,473 for Member of Parliament (MP) and another 9,142 for MCA posts. Among them are independent candidates as follows: Presidency (none); Governor (63), Senator (86) MP (605) and MCA are 2,918.
The three-month campaigns have generally been lively, toxic and entertaining as candidates, men, women, youth and the disabled, criss cross the country, the counties, constituencies and wards trying to out smart each other to get the voter’s ears and support as they dished out real and ridiculous manifestos and promises.
Gravy train
Most campaigners were very assertive and aggressive with their generosity, sweet talk, singing and dances as others flooded their respective areas with free T-shirts, caps, lessos (cloths for women), posters, leaflets and cash handouts.
Unlike in past polls, the campaigns at the national, county, constituency, and ward were generally peaceful, thanks to the tough stand taken by the IEBC working closely with the Ministry of Interior, National Police Service (NPC), the Judiciary among other arms of government.
There were isolated ugly incidents and cases of some political parties trying to block their rivals from accessing some venues to campaign and ‘pray’, or candidates and their agents being roughed up and threatened, but overall the cases were nipped in the bud.
Thanks to the formation of the two political coalitions, Azimio La Umoja and Kenya Kwanza, led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto, respectively, the political temperature were cooled down and focus was more on issues rather than personalities, ethnicity, clannism, sycophancy and sideshows.
Hundreds of candidates are vying as independent candidates while others are in fringe parties; the later are led by two in the presidential race; namely, Prof George Wajakoya of Roots Party and David Waihiga Mwaure of Agano party.
But the question remains: have Kenyans learnt from the experiences from past elections in 2017, 2013, 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, 1988, 1983, 1979, 1974, 1969 and 1961? Indeed, registered voters have a civic duty to elect a leader of their choice who must be cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the relevant security and educational institutions.
In the 2017 election, a study showed that each candidate for the six coveted seats had spent as follows: President Kshs4 billion; Governor (50 million); Senator (35 million); Women Representative (22.8. million); MP (18.2) and MCA (3.1).
Candidates are now pulling all strings to reach out to the voters using helicopters, light aircrafts, branded vans, four-wheel drive vehicles and twin-cabs, and trailers equipped with powerful public address systems. Others are using Toyota Probox, motorbikes and tuk tuks.
They are also using outdoor advertisement on billboards, and placing expensive advertisements on radio and television, others are appealing to the youth through online ads among others.
The role of the President and of the Governor is both political and executive; they must be popular and endear themselves to the populace on the one hand, and also have a good track record on sound management and leadership.
Prohibitive campaign expenses
For the Senators, MPs and Members of the County Assemblies, their roles are cut out for them despite the overemphasis during the campaigns on “what I will do for you!” The three roles are legislation, oversight and representation, in that order.
But the big question is what draws over 11,000 leaders to vie for the elective seats, is it the prestige, the perks or the networks with the political class and wheeler-dealers?
Most will deny that they are drawn by the perks, but the truth is that the millions they are ‘investing’ by giving out handouts during the campaigns are not with a clean hand. Once elected, the “waheshimiwa (Honourable members) will demand to recoup it from somewhere.
The latest development by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) chairperson, Lyn Mengich, to scrap the car grant and the sitting allowances for MPs and MCAs is a step in the direction that will save the Exchequer a cool Kshs1 billion. But whether the elected leaders will accept the new salaries and perks or challenge it in court, as their predecessors did, is another story for another day.
Salaries of state officials have also been reviewed according to a Kenya Gazette Notice. The President will earn Kshs1.4 million inclusive of house and commuter allowance; his deputy will take home a cool Kshs1.2 million, while Senators and MPs will each earn a monthly Kshs710,000 and MCAs will receive Ksh144,375 every month.
So as Kenyans troop to the polling stations and booths on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, they have the civic duty to be fully involved in the governance of their country, county, constituency and wards by making the right choice once and for all as per the Constitution.
In a recent study titled Cost of politics in Kenya – Implication for political participation and development, Prof Karuti Kanyinga and Tom Mboya revealed the heavy toll that elections are exacting on the quality of democracy and leadership.
Finally as the curtain is drawn on the campaigns, voters will have the following to ponder: “Election is bad business; it is a bad draw between costs and returns. As currently configured, elections are vicious battles of ego and money, everywhere promoting voter bribery, electoral violence and other malpractices,” says Sunday Nation columnist Peter Kagwanja, Chief Executive of Africa policy Institute.
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