I have jeremiad to all who have cared to listen regarding the coming August 8, 2017, elections. I have said they will be the worst if not the most useless elections since the 1988 ones. What has shocked me is that two out of three people I have jeremiad to ask me what was wrong with the 1988 elections. When I say we voted by queuing behind the agent holding the picture of ones preferred candidate. They ask, What!?
And I wonder is it that long ago or have people forgotten. Let me remind you.
Mlolongo voting is what they are popularly referred to. And because they were also to be used to eliminate any “also ran” and other non nyayo/moi/kanu complaint candidates, they were also called “uchaguzi wa mchujo (elimination elections)”.
For those who did not know, the wise men of KANU, most of whom are seeking governor and Senate seats, decided that the ruling party, KANU, would hold nominations just before the general elections. Nothing strange about that. But wait, that KANU was the only party! So what was the nomination facade all about? These KANU elections would be by queuing method which would also serve as royalty gauge. At the polling station, agents of the candidates would hold the portrait of the candidate. The KANU members, read everyone, would then be required to queue behind the agent lifting loft the portrait of their preferred candidate. What!?
That wasn’t even the painful part. In this queue-voting stage, the KANU mandarins decided that those who would receive 70 per cent of the vote (70% of the cast ballots not registered members or voters) were to be declared elected unopposed without the need to go through the general election but instead got a direct ticket to Parliament.
The obnoxious bit was that the list that ended up in Nairobi had a distant resemblance to the one at the school fields.
What a perfect way it was for chujaring (eliminating) the non KANU damu, a term used to refer to stalwart and sycophant.
And now, many years later, we are geared towards an election which, considering all the shenanigans and intrigue, can have only one outcome.
And now, many years later, we are geared towards an election which, considering all the shenanigans and intrigue, can have only one outcome.
For further reading search “Okiki Amayo”, “KANU disciplinary committee”, “Joseph Kamotho”, “kanu stalwart”, “Peter Oloo Aringo” party discipline in 1990
