WOE UNTO THE ROOKIE YOUTH: Lessons from the Siaya By-Election – Opinion by Were Davis For reasons best known to my own self, I have exercised, with a lot of restraint, utmost impartiality since the debate of the Siaya Gubernatorial race started intensifying. Since the dust is now settling on the matter, I have to let this out of my heart however hurting it may be. I conclude with finality that indeed, any politician who hopes to ride on youth agenda, all the way to the top rides on a motionless vessel. S/he goes nowhere. This is never a serious group of citizens. I’m saying this, particularly, with the male youth in my mind. This group of people is a disgrace to their lords. They make the most noise in praise of these credulous candidates who, to them, are just cash cows. They play extortionists during campaign periods and earn meager handouts from aspirants that mostly end up at cheap liquor dens. It’s clear that these people will hardly line up to vote. In my assumption, they are instead; nursing hangovers from the cheap brews in the meantime, or have to stay away for non-possession of the necessary documents required for the exercise after all. The few who turn up to vote have innumerable problems, ranging from lost ID’s, double registration, names missing in the register, reporting to wrong stations to illiteracy. Some, for fear of being embarrassed if they seek assistance, proceed to the polling booth and wrongly mark the ballot papers, consequently spoiling their votes. These youths, majority of whom are somewhere between childhood and maturity should think of the best ways of bringing the real change they crave for. It does them little sitting in the comfort of their rooms and posting immature literature on social media and in a manner that would shame their language teachers. I am ill at ease for being associated with this age bracket. If the future really lies in their hands, then they must walk the talk rather than sit back and curse those who do not share their school of thought. As a matter of fact, it is the old men and women who turn up for the exercise. Unlike the other lot of the youth, these men and women tread to the polling stations despite their weak bones and poor health. Those who unfortunately cannot read/write, will honestly ask for assistance, just to ensure that their votes count. I like this maturity. It is time our aspiring candidates changed their modus operandi and dealt with the women and the real men. They are the key determinant to the future of any society, or better still, these aspirants should think of better ways of dragging these youths to the polling stations. If only a way could be found of voting through the social media! All said, branding your opponents sycophants just because they were able to exercise their democratic rights, did not think like you or did what you couldn’t, is in itself undemocratic. Labeling yourself a faction of democrats who have seen the light at the end of the tunnel and, in your own imagination that you are delivering yourself from the bondage of patronage is a MOCKERY OF DEMOCRACY. Change does not come from just a word of mouth. Even the most revered books such as the Bible thus quote: ‘Faith without action is dead.’ You have to get out there and cast that ballot.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 21:01:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015