SAM'S SENSE: Politicians are ready, are you?

On my Sense, I focus on the importance of citizen participation in the political direction of the country.

In just over one week, the country will be within one year of the next General Election. Already there is heated activity, lots of dust in our towns and villages as politicians make every effort to get ahead of each other. They are busy generating slogans and popularising them. And yes, sense is still suspended.

Yet, we are growing accustomed to weekly updates and shows of might on the campaign trail. Political camps are busy jostling for influence. They are banking on the power of the sense of sight. And so, they fill up their venues and invest in the best technology they can to capture images of the crowds they can pull. And they bask in it. They share it online and on mobile devices. They see this as a crucial claim to popularity. Then some doubt it or poke holes in the claims, insisting the images are AI-generated.

The political class is busy trading barbs. Some claim that others are brainless, with no legacy to show. Meanwhile, every serving leader is deploying their arsenal with a scorecard, from the number of Bills sponsored in Parliament or contributions made on the floor, to the number of kilometres of roads built. The lists can be as long as the initiatives or functions of each office.

But then, the electorate and, more directly, the citizen, is lost in the fray. They congregate at every opportunity to whine and analyse. You will hear them asking themselves, "What did you think of that rally over the weekend?" And all manner of opinions fly, from statements like, "Anyone can pull crowds," to saying, "Fulani is a genius; he will deal with all these guys." Some even go ahead to project that certain politicians will be bought off with whatever amount of money to surrender their influence and ambitions.

Then some argue that, given the way things are going, it will be difficult for some kingpins to surrender all their influence for a different candidate for the top seat. And it goes on and on as the voters watch from a distance, hoping that their opinions will be validated as the days go by.

You realise that in all these conversations, there is no mention of important things. We have simply gotten to that phase where all that matters is emotion and how close we feel to a politician. But then, who are we? Who is the citizen? What does the citizen want? What is the citizen's input?

You see, since 1963, Kenya has had an established government of politicians. They all come in through elections—elections that are preceded by campaigns and voter manipulation. And in most of those elections, voters often return to a culture of complaining months after the vote. There has always been discontent among the populace, which ends up being hijacked by the political class in the subsequent election cycle.

For sure, there have been genuine grievances among the people in most dispensations, including the current one. Take the example of the people's expression in June 2024, as young people spoke against the Finance Bill, the ills of governance and the sheer display of opulence by their leaders. But such national moments are always hijacked by selfish political interests. Those interests buy time, and elections are called again, just in time for politicians to make a kill.

By now, you must have realised that we are in a vicious cycle. And if you are to use the constant confessions by politicians of how they were bribed to make certain decisions; how MPs are bought off with infrastructural projects in exchange for support to a regime; and how politicians believe in making money while in office and using their influence to build their empires, then the people would be delusional not to see it for what it is.

So, what do you want in the next General Election? What concerns you? From your neighbourhood to your social amenities, roads, hospitals, taxation, the business environment, access to justice and more. What is your contribution to this national discourse that will be midwifed in the next election?

You could still go ahead and sing "Tutam" or "Wantam", "half term" or "long term", but what is in this election for you?

You only live once and, for that, you must be awake to demand what you truly deserve, unapologetically, knowing that the future of this country depends on your decisions, actions and dedication to being there—being present.

It may be an election for politicians to win or lose, but your life has no such duality. Kenyans must win because the destiny of our lives and the future of our generations depend on us.