Contesting for elective positions in Kenya’s pluralist democracy is increasingly becoming demanding. First, during the electioneering period, mobilization fees hit a new premium high and candidates had to spend and in the words of the very politicians, they paid handsomely to have crowds in their rallies.
In fact, one senior politician was the other day lamenting his loss to a powerhouse of an independent politician who smoked his dream of a second term as a governor despite spending lots of resources in mobilization and opinion polling.
But even as the electorate was making a kill by attending these rallies, it does appear that they were keen on the promises. They did not just leave the rallies blank, they left with an understanding of what different candidates promised.
Promises of 100 days rent the air and one would understand that in a fierce political battle, anything to win the vote is worth doing or saying. But for the conscious electorate that we have today, the time of reckoning is now as the election promises brings the candidates back home to roost. One media house has aptly captured it – Key election pledges deferred as grim reality catches up. What we need to interrogate is who is caught up and what are the consequences? Is it the electorate or the elected leaders?
I said times above numbers during the campaigns, and I still state that communication when made in public, by our politicians, is good for the country. Why? Because it either increases their commitment to deliver on the promises they make or gives us, the electorate, the basis upon which to evaluate their performance and leadership.
The grim reality today is that the electorate is too demanding and too conscious. If Kenyans, especially in Mount Kenya region voted to punish President Uhuru Kenyatta, then they have hoisted themselves to a privileged position that poses a big challenge to the current regime.
Retired president Uhuru Kenyatta outdid himself in the second term and there is enough to buttress his legacy. In fact, the first 100 days of the new government is essentially a showcase of the previous government’s legacy. The work done in setting our infrastructure for an economic take-off has been amazing and if former President Uhuru was punished for what we have then it is good news for Kenyans. President William Ruto has to outdo himself and deliver for Kenyans to escape “the punishment.”
Now that the Cabinet is in place, the expectations are high. Kenyans are not only looking forward to pesa mfukoni, but also the delivery of the many promises. Fact is, the political formation that won the presidency has had its way in everything there was to win: They have formed the executive arm of government, they are the majority in parliament by dint of one of their principals, got their numbers to have speakers of both houses and clearly had all their cabinet nominees approved by parliament. Even the judiciary is smiling after that magnanimous gesture of swearing in of the judges and keeping with the election pledges. Simply put, the promises are on a good path, and they’ve got to be delivered to the people. Delivery paves a pathway for a smooth sail in 2027 and it does seem that we not only have a 2027 cabinet in mind, but everything set to make it easy for the establishment. However, it is worth noting that Kenyans are a conscious lot and the other side of failure to deliver on the promises lies the post-election disillusionment and differed promises can only exacerbate the consequences of disenchantment.
You see, in a pluralist democracy, opinion formation in the society is based on public interests and discussions of all kinds of views in the public domain. And any discussion of either government success or failure that gains prominence takes great effect and the more popular the subjects of discussion the more consequential the effect on the politics of the day. Of course, powerful political players often termed the deep state understand this too well and almost always try to manage everything through intermediary organisations, civil society players, influential non-political players who straddle the space between the state and elected presentative on the one hand and the citizenry on the other. The main objective is always to sway public opinion and forestall any sort of issues that might destabilise the state and the establishment charged with the reins of running the state. How that pans out depends on the plight of the hustlers and how the hustler’s government will work to address the plight of the hustlers.
-Hesbon Hansen Owilla
The author is PhD candidate in Media Studies and Political Communication.
