The season for lies and false promises starts in earnest

With elections coming soon, Kenyans are now being given many promises. The so called political elites, especially the presidential candidates have started telling some truths and many blatant lies to woo voters as the 2012 elections fast approaches. Unfortunately, many are now using the tribal card to win sympathy votes from their ethnic groups.

Being human, we are bound to make mistakes. We all fall prey to flawed beliefs and views. However, what really distinguishes an honest person is the ability to candidly admit ones mistakes and take bold steps to redress them.

As a Chinese proverb says, you cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building a nest in your hair. In Kenya, ultimately, our battle is with ourselves. Whether in our activities in society, or whether in historical, political or economical development, everything essentially boils down to a struggle between positive and negative forces.

It is up to us – the voters to tell off the politicians trying to divide us along tribal lines. Let us prevent them from building their nest on our heads.

We must plan to use our votes wisely come 2012 because it will be senseless to blame politicians for our miseries after voting in the wrong leaders. Change begins from the moment we muster the courage to act. When we change, the environment will change. The power to change the Kenya is found nowhere but within our own lives, and the strength of the nation is its people.

Our current crop of political leaders should be warned that trust is difficult to earn and is easily lost. Trust built over a decade can be shattered in an instant by one off handed remark or deed.

Candidates for various political positions are now sprouting up with promises to voters of many things to come. Some, who are even over 50 years still claim to be youths, and expect to ride on the youth wave.  They are forgetting that what Kenyans want is a leader who could bring the change we want regardless of age. Almost all of them have been in the Government and held very powerful positions and have done absolutely nothing to develop Kenya. Why is it that they have to wait until there is an election to start giving us empty rhetoric? Where were they since 2007?