Why am counting down to January and not elections

56 days to go



Now that politics is getting hot and elections drawing nearer, our lives are affected by politics, which has surrounded us like air. No matter what we do, we cannot ignore it. Everything around us is political, posters making walls and posts dirty, bill boards, street lights, news, social talks, vehicles with loud speakers informing of political rallies, nabado there is still more to come after parties finish their nominations.

When I come to work and start downloading emails, half of the mails are on political issues. I receive an sms and open it eagerly thinking its from a loved one or my house help asking something, only to find that it’s about politics. Colleagues at work just behave like politicians, one is called PNU because he/she is a Kikuyu, Luo and Kamba colleagues are addressed as ODM and ODM-K respectively, other tribes will be given these political names according to their political inclination. A friend informs me they sit according to their party inclination or tribes in the staff canteen.

After work I return home via the City center and decide to go into the supermarket to buy some groceries, the streets are crowded by hawkers selling all kind of stuff because its campaign time, so no one would dare evict them and loose votes, then groups of people holding small discussions (mainly politics) on the streets (small parliaments).

When I finally get home after a long day, I relax to catch up with the day’s news on the television and it starts with political news. Everyone starts talking about politics even kids, you would think its the latest soap opera. I retire to sleep after a long day my head full with more politics than before.

Sometimes I try to ignore but it is not easy because it is around me like the air I breath and its because politics dictates to our lives in one way or the other. Poor infrastructure, inflation, poverty, hatred and all kinds of evil in the society is believed to be related to politics.

Just like other Kenyans I will wait for election date and vote for my preferred candidate, on the other hand am counting down to January 2008 when politics will start cooling down and I get back to my normal life, whose direction may change for the better or worse depending on the politicians we elect.