I feel constrained to write on the politics of voting so that we can have some clear pointer to what to expect when we vote.
The main reason, however is that we clearly get to grasp the reality
that we are SORELY ACCOUNTABLE to God for the voting decisions we make.
It would be easy, even advantageous for me to tell you to vote for so
and so, but that would be too great a burden for me to carry.
Why? God wants to guide all who call Him Father and is interested to be
a father who guides our decisions. And like a father He will hold each
of us accountable for each decision we make. Even the Prodigal Son had
the freedom to choose, but then he had to face the consequences of that
decision.
We despise our politicians for putting self-interest
at the forefront of their national agenda. For example the few times we
see their commitment, especially sitting through the night, the result
is mainly a veiled attack on our coffers for their pockets and self
interest.
Yet do we realize that they are like that because we
are like that? How do we vote? Listen to people talking about their
choice for president and you will be shocked. The other day I was
talking to some young people and was shocked at their choices. They were
saying something similar to this.
‘I know most of those
characters are crooks. I know that I don’t want to vote for them but
will vote for them anyway. I will just choose the lesser thief’.
‘Why?’, I asked. ‘Is there no one else to vote for?’
‘The person who is not a crook and performs cannot win. I will vote for the winning candidate’.
Why do you vote? A bigger question is, what will you tell God is the
reason you voted for the candidate you chose. If like the Bible says we
will give an account of every idle word we speak (Matthew 12: 36), what
do you think about a choice that will decide the fate of millions? Could
you be mortgaging your posterity by choosing the winning horse? Is it a
horse anyway?
Let’s go to horses, especially winning horses. I
have been around most parts of Nairobi and am shocked at the blatant
tribal leanings of the parties in those horses through their campaign
posters. I am ashamed of even calling them horses, they are more of
tribal robotic horse caricatures. I know some people will start hating
me for saying this but I think I had rather be right with God than
forsake that for a plate of githeri. I will not take Esau’s example.
How national are the leading parties? I haven’t seen a single non-Luo
person seeking nomination in ODM (sorry, I just saw one this morning
after I had written this). I have seen a meagre handful of non-Kikuyus
seeking TNA nomination. I have seen no non-Kamba for a Wiper nomination.
If that is national, then I am not in Kenya.
If the party with
the greatest concentration of tribalists or tribal parties is national
then I am scared for my children. If money is what leads my choice, then
I am a mercenary and do not in the least have the interest of Kenya in
my heart.
Let not the media and opinion polls deceive you. That
is what they are paid to do anyway. If you go to a prostitute, do not
feel exploited when she asks to be paid. Simply avoid her haunts.
Your vote is your sacred duty to the nation. Do not barter it for your tribe or tribal interest.
Let me give you an example. Suppose your father is the richest honcho
around and is not satisfied with the size of his farm. Suppose you also
have a drunk neighbor who has a farm your father is so intent on
consolidating with yours. He then calls a family meeting and presents
you this proposal for your ‘approval’. He intends to buy the farm and
even ‘compensate’ the farmer further by buying him a plot and even
building him a house there.
You know that this neighbor will
not invest the money from the sale of the land. In fact that is the
reason your father must ‘wisely’ evict him. And a plot is even easier to
sell than a farm. You also know that he has children that are trying
their best to make do with very little. You also know that your father
is not really interested in your opinion and might do what he wants
anyway. You probably expect your brothers are already bought into the
idea.
How do you vote with your conscience? Will you speak for
what you know is right? Will you for the fear of your father assume it
is for the good of that drunk that you bought his land?
If you
choose what is right, you might be shocked to realize that it was that
voice that was needed. You might realize that your father was not that
greedy, he was just so one-dimensional. In any case even if he goes
ahead, your heart will be at peace knowing that you represented what you
know is right.
Your vote is your voice. Do not allow it to be
swallowed by other voices that represent different interests from yours.
If I am the only person who will vote for the person representing what I
know is right, I will let my vote speak. Like I said in my book
‘Perspectives’, even if my father is standing and he doesn’t represent
my VALUES, I will not vote for him. I might have eternity to regret
voting with self interest at the fore.
It is said that any dead fish can flow with the tide. It takes a living one to swim against the tide. Which represents you?
Barikiweni sana.
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