Politicians can be our heroes as well
Today, Kenyans take time to acknowledge their heroes and heroines. Institutions will also honour those they consider outstanding in their craft, while individuals will celebrate their treasured ones.
It is also a moment for the country to reflect on the type of heroes it has moulded over the years and those it hopes to have in the future.
The celebration, however, comes at a time the country is at a crossroads in many ways.
A General-Election is less than a year away and the process of managing a transition in power is proving as difficult as it has always been.
Consequently , the country is in the throes of high-octane politics that tends to polarise communities and supporters.
However, this does not have to be the case. In the middle of the quandary that is the Covid-19 pandemic, a struggling economy, fractious politicking among other challenges, Kenyans should be united and pursue a common goal — to beat the negatives in our society and get the best out of the situation.
A starting point is the ongoing political campaigns which started way before the stipulated time.
Since politicians are unlikely to slow down, Kenyans ought to embrace views even those that are inconsistent with theirs.
Doing so will enable us to interrogate the manifestos and sieve fact from fiction. It will also inform our choice going to the polls.
Already politicians are traversing the country selling their ideologies. They blame each other for failures and promise they are the best candidates.
The country is split between the two main camps, one that is calling for unity with the other calling for the empowerment of wananchi through a new economic model.
Violence during rallies is not only retrogressive but also impedes our capacity to analyse situations and decipher what is in our best interest.
George Orwell, an English novelist, once said political language is designed to make lies sound truthful.
This is the trade of politicians and it takes a patient supporter to tell the deceptions from the truths.
Be it as it may, politicians must not stoke embers. So far, the rallies have been peaceful but the intelligence community has warned of possible chaos in the not so distant future.
The only thing violence does to a society is ruin institutions, break relationships and kill citizens.
As we celebrate our heroes today, let’s identify the common purpose and pursue similar goals for the betterment of our country.
