March 4th will be an historic day for Kenya. We will be electing the president under a new constitutional dispensation.
In addition to the president’s post, Kenyans will be selecting the candidates that they want to fill five other seats that denote the county system of Government. Thus by March 5th, the following positions will be filled: President, Governor, Senator, Female Representatives for each county, Members of Parliament for the National Assembly and County Ward representatives.
The campaigns have been a show of financial might for most of the contestants. With eight presidential candidates, Kenyans are spoilt for choice. Some have dubbed this a two horse race, whilst others are talking about the tyranny of numbers. But what they seem to be assuming is that most, if not all of those in these political campaigns will be voting!
Personally, I will not be voting in this election: I have never voted in any election. In 2007, I did not have a National ID, and in 2013, it was unfortunate that I lost my ID during the registration and the registration period ended before I could replace it. I know that I’m not alone and that there are many young people who will not be voting. I also know that there will inevitably be those who lose their IDs a week or so before the elections and may thus not vote as well. I am also certain that in the huge crowds during campaigns, it may not be surprising if at least a quarter of those present don’t vote either.
What am I driving at with this?
So much emphasis has been put on campaigns and opinion polls that we are forgetting the fundamental unit: the voter. We also ‘pretend’ to forget that voting is a process and it requires one to know what needs to be done. I am certain that there are Kenyans who do not know what to expect during the voting day, right from the ballot papers to the six elective posts. You may be wondering why I am concerned if I will not be voting anyway, it’s because I know I have a part to play before, during and after Election Day. I have realized that whether I will vote or not, I am a Kenyan with rights and responsibilities and not voting does not make me less Kenyan.
My first role is to remind my fellow Kenyans that we are voting through the secret ballot. This is to say that your choice for a candidate is your own and you are not to be coerced into choosing someone because the majority in that voting area is voting for that person.
Elizabeth Noelle-Noumann in her famous “Spiral of Silence theory” acknowledges the fear of isolation and expressed the concept that people have a sixth sense to analyze the opinions of those around them and shape their decisions accordingly, lest they become isolated. This then translates to people voting along tribal lines. I would like to challenge you to look at whom it is you are planning to vote for and ask yourself, why do I want to have this person as my leader? Why do they want to get into power? Are they sincerely for Kenyans or just power-hungry? Let us not be clouded by what other people tell us about them but what do we personally feel about their leadership. I encourage us as young women to be firm in our decisions and not to be afraid of isolation from our friends, our families because of whom we are voting for, as it is a secret ballot anyway.
My second role is to remind young women to take note when voting, to ensure that they mark the candidates they are voting for within the specified requirements. There will be six, different coloured ballot papers for the six elective positions. The Presidential Ballot paper will be White, the Governor’s blue, Senator-Yellow, Member of Parliament-Green, Women Representative-Purple and the County Representatives–Beige. Each of the ballot papers have to be cast in their respective ballot boxes i.e. match each ballot paper with the corresponding box. One can mark only once on a ballot paper, using a tick, a cross or a thumbprint.
The worst thing would be to have wasted votes particularly where the competition is so fierce. There will also be Police Officers monitoring and preventing election misconduct, particularly in relation to rigging, miscommunication, campaigning on Election Day or even the deliberate wearing of party colours.
In conclusion, Kenya was, has, and will remain after the March 4th elections. Let us look at the big picture and encourage, persuade and inform our relatives and friends on this. Kenya is larger than our tribes, our once-in-every-five-years politics and our selfish interests and campaigns. Kenya needs peace, now more than ever. Let us choose our words in discussing issues of the elections and our actions and let us exude confidence in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). They are mandated to ensure that elections are free and fair.
These are my views as an unregistered Kenyan who despite not casting my vote, will nonetheless ensure that the votes of the registered are cast in an informed, calm and peaceful manner and that the winner is accepted with honour. Again, Kenya is bigger than any of us.
These, fellow Kenyans, are my views as an unregistered voter!
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