MUSINGS OF A NAIROBIAN.: KENYA’S DATE WITH DESTINY

Today, Monday the 4^th of March 2013, is truly a defining moment for Kenya. It is on this day that a General Election will be conducted under the guidance of the new constitution and it will pave way for a new order in the country. The long and short of it is that, the leaders who will be elected into office will be the pioneers of an entirely new system of governance in Kenya.

The last time Kenya went into an election, she emerged jaded, badly bruised and battered. Her economy took a nose dive and worse, she lost thousands of her citizens in devastating post poll violence. Five years down the line, and with the disturbing images of the last poll still fresh in most Kenyan’s memories, the need for peace and calm during this election period cannot be overemphasized.

The unequivocal peace messages reverberating across the media, social networks and all public and private gatherings should be taken seriously by all Kenyans. Thing is, we all have a part to play in promoting peace and calm during and after the elections.

Talking about the date with destiny, it has been preceded by some most fascinating events, top of which was the first ever Kenyan presidential debate. In a series of two debates, held within a span of two weeks, one woman and seven men seeking Kenya’s most powerful office were engaged in an ego bruising battle of the titans. The debate was truly a defining moment where Kenyans got the chance to evaluate all the candidates in one of East Africa’s most followed events. Broadcasted across all television and radio stations in Kenya, the debate touched on all the major issues such as land, corruption and the economy, all of which are paramount in the determination of the right crop of leaders.

The Kenyan presidential debate.

I am filled with nothing but hope for a better and peaceful Kenya as the Kenyan electorate take to the polling stations to elect the next crop of leaders. I wish to state as in my previous posts that every voter must make a decision they can live with for the next five years. It is their sole responsibility to vote for the best candidates for the various posts. This opportunity comes only once every five years and as such one must stand to be counted as making a contribution for better governance.

We must not forget that in every election, there must be winners and losers. Eight candidates are seeking to lead Kenya but only one can be president at any given point. Kenya is a democratic country and the principles of democracy demand that the majority have their way while the minorities have their say. We must all be prepared for the outcome of the election results and desist from activities which might cause violence or tension regardless of whether our preferred candidates win or lose.

The future of our beloved country and its future generations highly depends on the vote you will cast and your personal initiative to maintain peace and calm. Everybody is entitled to their opinion and as such tolerance MUST be exercised now more than ever before.