Former CJ Maraga Warns of Rising Political Tensions Ahead of Elections
Kenyas political scene is once again under the microscope – this time by former Chief Justice and would-be president David Maraga, who’s sounding a warning bell over what he sees as some pretty worrying trends that seem to be on the up.
Talking straight from the hip during a swing through Siaya County on Thursday, Maraga didn’t mince words. He was open & honest about his concerns that zoning politics & the increasing involvement of young people in political violence are both a major worrying & could have a lasting impact on the country.
Zoning Politics – and the Root of All Evil ?
Maraga had a go at zoning – the unofficial deal between political parties where they decide in advance which areas to field candidates. He reckons that does a bit of long-term damage to democracy in the quiet way it happens.
“Political parties should be allowed to operate all over the place. When you play the zoning game, it just eggs on tribalism and all that nonsense about dividing people up by ethnicity & it just isn’t good for kenya. What we need are parties which can put forward candidates all over the place. Competing ideas & competing philosophies not people all stuck together just because of where they come from.” he said.
He reckons the idea of elections should be about ideas, not about where someone lives. Limiting where candidates can stand he suggests, just means capable leaders get shut out & only get a chance because of where they come from not because of what they’re worth
Concern Over Youths Being Caught Up In Political Violence
But zoning wasn’t the only thorny issue – Maraga also turned his attention to the use of young people in today’s cutthroat political arena – and what he saw was downright disturbing.
He took a swipe at some leaders, accusing them of co-opting young people as hired guns to disrupt key events – a practice he found thoroughly reprehensible.
“The really sad thing is that it’s government agencies who are behind some of this – that to me is the worst possible scenario.” He reminded us that he’d made this point before “a government that uses thuggery to get its own way, will soon find that it can’t control what’s happening in the country” he said.
His comments spoke to a larger problem – that instead of working with young people, some players are actually dragging them into a cycle of violence.
The Problem of Youth Voter Registration Is Well And Truly A Wake Up Call
At the same time, Maraga expressed his deep concern about another pressing issue – the alarmingly low take-up by young people in the current voter registration drive.
With just four days to go before the deadline, he reckoned that many young Kenyans were staring a serious missed opportunity in the face – the chance to shape Kenya’s future.
According to him, if they fail to register, then come election time, their collective voice will be much weaker, and their influence in national decision-making will suffer as a result.
A Call to Change Direction in Politics
Maraga finishes off his speech with a heartfelt appeal to shift our nation’s political landscape. He’s calling on leaders to put integrity and fairness at the top of their to do lists, and at the same time is urging ordinary citizens – particularly young folk – not to disengage and sit this one out.
According to Maraga, the way forward is pretty clear-cut: politics in our country needs to be about ideas, be civil not violent, and most importantly be inclusive so that everyone gets a say regardless of where they come from or who they are.
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Former CJ Maraga Warns of Rising Political Tensions Ahead of Elections
