Observe sobriety in poll campaigns
By PD columnist, June 21, 2022Politicians must be deliberate in calming down increasing political temperatures to avoid a tumultuous campaign that may wreak havoc in an already weak economy.
It doesn’t make sense for citizens to live in peace for five years only for the cycle to be broken by politicians when election campaigns start. Pray to tell, why would politicians engage in actions that have the potential to harm the economy and yet claim that they still want to lead the country out of an economic downturn?
As it is, Kenya’s economy is still smarting from the effects of drought coupled with one of the sharpest surges in the cost of living in recent history, partly attributed to the Ukraine war and a strengthening of the US dollar. As a matter of fact, concerns abound that the country could be staring at the possibility of a recession. Is this the path politicians want to continue walking?
With less than 50 days to the election, it is unfortunate that violence has reared its ugly head, with the events at the Jacaranda grounds sending a worrying signal.
At a time Kenyans are going to bed hungry, we cannot afford to scare away investors — be they local or international in the name of an election or politics. That is why the action taken by agencies like the electoral commission and the national cohesion commission, which has condemned the weekend violence, is commendable. Politicians ought to know that they are being watched and will be held to account.
Politicians should be reminded that violence of any kind paints the country in a bad light and is one of the reasons why uncertainties among investors remain high. Indeed, this uncertainty is what has depressed trade in the stock market.
Already, a survey by the United Nations estimates that foreign direct investment into Kenya dropped by Sh31 billion, in part because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
We are yet to recover from this rough patch. The competitive nature of this election goes to prove that those who have the country at heart must raise the red flag and call out politicians who veer away from the electoral code of conduct.
The chest-thumping and counter-accusations that characterised the Sunday campaigns should not be taken lightly and stakeholders must ensure that it does not occur again.
If this country is to prosper, it is imperative that we end the five-year political cycle of uncertainty and violence. Where there is conflict, politicians must allow due process of law to adjudicate. Is that too much to ask of politicians? Clearly not.