LDP elections fireworks and fiasco

The LDP election results are in and the likes of Otieno Kajwang and Najib Balala are among a motley of high profile losers still licking their freshly inflicted political wounds. LDP has gone to the polls (see story) and the results have shown the true and fluid nature of Kenyan politics. Violence, mayhem and a host of parallel results and parallel winners dominated the polls that also produced some rather predictable results. The likes of Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi and Kalonzo Musyoka have shown that they are the titans to beat in their backyards. They won with ease in their constituencies although Kalonzo Musyoka opted to be elected as a delegate rather than chairman in his Mwingi North constituency. I just cannot guess his reasons but give the man some breathing space.

But the election has proved that violence still remains a headache for poll organisers as gangs of rowdy youths had a field day punching those in opposing camps into submission. Even the very elderly Adhu Awiti was not spared the bruising; he got thumped by some goons before being dumped with a thud in some busy market place in Nyanza. The scenario was repeated in a dozen or so places and I guess there must be a number of sore men and women nursing physical wounds and political defeats as well as wondering why on earth they are still in active politics. I couldn't agree more. Many of our politicians are supposed to retire either because they are too old or in cases where they are young, they may be infantile and truly incompetent to boot. Some fit the bill but they start making so many blunders you wonder there is a virulent 'political incompetence flu' that is being 'sambazad' or spread in those crowded rallies. And could the masses too have been infected?

Back to the polls. There was so much violence and confusion, that it is impossible to really know which results can be termed the genuine and certified ones. In other words, the polls were either a sham or a charade or 'polls proper', depending on which version of results circulated in the media that you would wish to ingest.

That is the Kenya I hate to see. Unfortunately, that is the true nature of our politics. Wanasiasa, keen to protect their pockets of power dig into their pockets of chapaa, dole out money to youths, plaster them with cham, changaa, kumi kumi or whatever illicit liquor is available and give them orders on what to do, whom to beat or what to say in sickening chants... and if the youths have not chewed a blackout from the chang'aa then they will certainly ensure someone else gets a sure blackout-with powerfoam - (courtesy of an unprovoked blow). Now that is one long winding sentence that I just had to punch in.


Well folks, this has certainly been an eventful weekend but if the LDP and other major parties in Kenya want to conduct their own elections in this manner, then democracy in Kenya will suffer a major blow. Good luck Kenya.