Sunday, June 10, 2012

The urge to vote with the majority is our undoing


The urge to vote with the majority is our undoing

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By DOMINIC WAMUGUNDA
Posted  Saturday, June 9  2012 at  17:31
When I look at the evolving dynamics in terms of individuals – some who carry very big names and loaded with a lot of money as well as others who have a sense of entitlement to the position – presenting themselves as candidates for the presidency of this country, I feel a little worried.
As always there are many other people who hang on to such individuals’ campaign outfits who subscribe to no principle or interest in the future of the nation whatsoever.
During the 2002 General Election after Daniel Moi named Mr Uhuru Kenyatta the Kanu candidate for the presidency, there is a fellow I know who quickly joined that campaign.
My political persuasion was and will always be of course different. I met that person at some point and this is what he said to me:
“Even if our candidate does not really make it, the government machinery will facilitate some rigging and he will, therefore, become our president”. I did not say much but that statement spoke volumes to me.
Closer to the elections, I met the same fellow again and this time round he was deep inside the Kibaki campaign.
By 2007-08, the man was in a totally different political arrangement. Right now I am not able to predict what party or candidate he could be supporting but, with the likes of him, nothing would surprise me.
What has become clear to me today is that when it comes to a political contest, most Kenyans – whether they are candidates or voters – never want to feel like they are with the minority.
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This is perhaps what our undoing is. In a situation where political leaders or even electors are always looking for the corner that has the majority, objectivity, principle and integrity are all sacrificed at the altar of big numbers and money.
The most unfortunate part is that many of those who claim to want to lead do not have the courage to stand alone for the truth and justice. Anything goes as long as they are surrounded by sycophants and self-seekers.
Authentic leadership is about values such as truth, justice, fair play, integrity, the rule of law and so on. A leader who genuinely espouses such values is unlikely to be rich and popular because he or she will most certainly not just flow by the current.
In fact I think that the real source of our corruption – which has been our worst cancer – is this tendency in our so-called leaders to want to please everyone.
An authentic leader may have to choose to be lonely. Only then does she or he keep their independence to be able to lead from the front.
Father Wamugunda is dean of students and sociology lecturer at the University of Nairobi wamugundaw@uonbi.ac.ke

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