The political season is here again.
Kenya is getting into the murky waters of campaigns where people of all ages suddenly become very important to those who are seeking political positions as well the incumbents who are defending their seats.
It is a time when even the politicians who have been living in areas away from the villages for years convert themselves to village dwellers with their eyes focused on the votes, they want the villagers to propel them to power and prosperity.
They want high paying careers that beat engineering, law and medicine. Even scientists will drop the focus on research and try their luck of acquiring or retaining the title honourable.
It is at this time that political parties are revived and new ones are formed.
The parties will start renovating their offices if they ever existed or renting new office spaces for new political parties.
It is the busy season to see branded shirts, caps and other forms of attire in the spirit of marketing their products, which is political parties.
In Kenya, we have witnessed the creation of parties before elections and killing them after meaning they are canoes for helping politicians to cross the river of elections and when that is done, the canoes become irrelevant and are abandoned at the riverside until next time when the owner will be crossing the river again.
Look at a seasoned politician like Meu Governor Kiraitu Murungi who has served in various political seasons for close to three decades now, has never used a political party twice, the practice is ‘use and dump’ until another rain comes.
The Governor has previously been quoted as saying that he is gifted in forming and dismantling political parties, it is evident in his political activities where mostly he plays a leading role in forming the parties and marketing the same for political survival.
As the political temperatures continue to rise in the country, ordinary citizens need to know this fact and avoid being swayed by the political winds that sometimes confuses them to elect non-performers after being swept by political party waves.
It is time for them to scrutinize sitting leaders who are seeking re-election on the aspect of performance and not their association in terms of political parties.
It is time to scrutinize the manifestos of the new entrants and not political parties, this will ensure better service delivery and avoid regrets that are witnessed a few months after elections.
