More than one year to the next general election in Kenya, Nakuru is already experiencing political heat.
All manner of people from left, right and centre who term themselves as visionaries and future leaders, are now coming forth claiming they will take Nakuru residents to 'Canaan', a cliché which must certainly come to an end.
With the current trend in Nakuru where some of the leaders in power have declared that they will defend their seats whereas others claim they will bring freshness to the political and leadership scene, one may think that the next general election will be held next month.
However, once elected, most of the leaders in Nakuru forge ‘amnesia’ and change their mobile phone numbers. What they promised may only come to fruition close to another election year, if at all they will see the light of day.
As we wait for the 2017 elections slated for August 8, most groups that will have believable names i.e. amani, upendo, umoja and tuinuane groups will crop up in the name of preaching peace and seeking funds for their course.
Such groups cropped up in Nakuru close to the 2013 polls and after accessing the monies to drive their peace campaigns, they ceased to exist after doing shoddy work.
The so called peace projects in the county that were initiated by the groups closed barely a few months after the elections. Question is; don’t we still need peace after the polls?
This is the time when the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is busy organising workshops to sensitise the media on political reporting.
Actually, one will be held on February 15, in Nakuru. My question is; why wait till it is close to the election time? Did this body have to wait until now to organise such a workshop?
I believe this is the second workshop the IEBC is conducting for journalists in Nakuru, so why wait for so long without doing a follow up on what was achieved during the first workshop?
Personally, I do not want to be bombarded next year with election promises from aspirants seeking elective posts whereas I do not know what the current leaders in Nakuru have done.
Some of the leaders who were voted in during the last elections in Nakuru and who have offices in town are barely known by the people.
How do they then expect to be elected come August next year? I think it is also against the law for leaders in Nakuru to start campaigning before the electioneering period and so stern action should be taken against such leaders.
Despite the election fever, most residents do not know the functions of several leaders such as the deputy governor, woman representative, senator and Members of County Assembly.
Why then are people in Nakuru busy campaigning?