OPINION: POLITICS THE OLD PROFESSION?

By Kirong Shadrack
‘Politics’ the old Profession after prostitution ‘is common saying. An ambiguous word and Profession that has left many wanting more and others a bad taste in their mouth, while others its a no go zone. A close case study is we; the attitude is just patronizing and low in esteem. That we have come up with contemporary and inflexible definitions like ‘Politics is ‘not my taste’ ‘none’ ‘dirty game’, Is a prejudiced and preconceived conclusion in itself.
But what political spectrum has mooted this varied and divergent attitude?
Met my long friend recently in the village. And as they say a friends are like clothes, that without them life will be naked. These special friend of mine left for the city few years ago, but just like any other city dweller, the village serves as coolant especially during the simmering economic heat during the festive season. And for me am not just like any other ‘cloth’, but a confidant. In his round and about defense, when wagging tongues began questioning his unusual overstay in the village few days ago, he claimed that tables had turned on him. In what a plain, courageous and straightforward professional gossiper in the village will tell you, he was fired!
Our discussion however does not revolve around that, not for now, but about the reality checks that await us, and many other Kenyans who are still in the ‘dark’. Being a family man and economist, he has never been economical with truth though. Politics and its impact on economics.while the latter has always had democratic space to balance its forces in the market, it’s a fact also that it can never work without the former.
And to bring our discussion home is the particularized instances of the County Government that are still in its implementation process, and what they hold in store for all of us. But again it is already a shot in the arm in its progress, if the political maneuvering and double political standards we are seeing is anything to go by. And as my friend would add, we are to blame, for simple, inexcusable and transparent reasons; politics is dirty game! And I could not agree with him more than that. But wait, who is doing dirty here? Or who is the dirty one?
In best world Democracies like United Kingdom or United States of America a Politician, is elected or not elected based good policies or ideologies or vice versa. The public through the media participates actively in scrutinizing the incoming leadership. But what about Africa? And to specific Kenya? Tribal prisms, Kingpins, Ethnic Balkanization, family Dynasty and politics of dominance since inception, could suit our political dictionary .Explaining why we continue lamenting about bad leadership, corruption and retrogressive policies and stagnation. What a modern tragedy! That the interest of the ‘few’ comes before the interest of the National County. Can these political juggernauts be stopped?
We might have so much engrossed our attention on the ‘big race ‘Presidency at the expense of the ‘small race’ County Government. But why should we zero rate our potential to shape things when they are close, and instead cast a big umbrella of ambitions and hope at a wider field?
Ask anybody near you who is contesting for whatever post in County, and I bet, the answer will just be like any other New Year resolution, ‘I don’t know and who cares? ‘But why are we overlooking the County Government which in real sense is the baseline of our economic endeavours ?
We need to refocus and rethink about this, lest we want to record unprecedented economic and political showdown in history. And, only if we start demystifying the ‘dirty game, not my taste’ slogan in this old Profession, then we shall see a breakthrough.
The political season is here with us. A time’ to separate chaffs and ‘ grains’, a time to vet true leaders, time to usher a new breed of leaders. Will you stand the ‘storm?’ The time is now, and you got the power with you! YOUR VOTE IS YOUR FUTURE!
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QUOTE: ‘’ Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness’’ Martin Luther King, Jr.