Kenyans are not Ready for Democracy

The simplest layman’s definition of democracy I have come across is that it is a form of self governance in which individual views are considered and summed up. The view supported by the largest number of individuals takes the day. Democracy then, is the only way through which the citizens of a country can effectively govern themselves.

Most of the development experienced in the modern world can be directly attributed to democracy. On the flipside, a lot of the conflicts can be attributed to either the manipulation of democratic processes, or on the complete absence of democracy.

In Kenya, we have been unable or unwilling to make democracy work for our common good. I have tried to analyse the tenets of democracy below in order to see where we go wrong.

Tolerance

According to Webster’s dictionary, tolerance is the sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one’s own; the act of allowing something. Looking at our history, it is obvious we are quite intolerant to one another. This is especially so when it comes to people who are not of our tribes. Tribalism is probably the greatest enemy to democracy.

Critical Thinking and Decision Making

In an ideal democratic situation, decisions affecting a society are made through a process of critical reasoning and brain storming. This means that all possible options are laid on the table and scrutinised objectively. The outcome of such a process is a decision that is the best possible one under the prevailing circumstances. Everybody stands to benefit from such a decision.

In Kenya, most decisions are populist in nature. Leaders make decisions that appease the masses without necessarily benefiting them in any way. At this stage, corruption rears its ugly head and leaders consider their own personal benefit in making any decision.

Power Sharing and Empowerment

When I mention power sharing, most Kenyans think it is what was done by Kibaki and Raila to avert the post-election violence. On the contrary, as a democratic principle, power sharing means that your views and opinions as a citizen are heard and considered in the making of important decisions. It literally means that you are a member of the ruling class.

Empowerment is the bringing to par of those who have been left behind either culturally or economically. The meaning is the same in Kenya although here; it refers to the individual, not community. When we talk of empowerment in Kenya, we refer to giving positions of power and influence to individual members of marginalised communities so that they can personally enrich themselves.

Individual Responsibility and Civil Involvement with Others

This simply means being good citizens and being our brothers’ keepers. It entails playing our part in ensuring that we keep within the law and objectives of our society. It also means that we should combine forces with other like-minded people to expose evil and champion good causes.

As Kenyans, we believe it is every man for himself and God for us all. Besides, few of us are willing to point out any mistakes being committed by the ruling class. We are a “see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil society”.

Kenyan Tenets

We have devised our very own form of democracy where the following “values” abound;

Defending Leaders

It must be nice being a leader in Kenya because everything he does is defended. I have heard people say that their community is being targeted simply because someone tried to point out a mistake done by their leader.

A king pin in a vehicle is the point about which a wheel turns when it is steered. It is consequently the point about which the whole vehicle turns. A tribal king pin by deduction, is the person who is able to turn his whole community’s way of thinking. He replaces critical thinking.

Intolerance to Minorities

When I talk of minorities, most Kenyans relate it to the smaller tribes. I however refer to the word in the wider sense of people with differing opinions. These form a very small group hence my reference to them as minorities. Most individual Kenyans are critical of that which they don’t understand or believe in. This is the reason you can be lynched for being gay.

Opposing for the Sake of Opposing

We have an opposition in Kenya which is supposedly tasked with keeping the Government on its toes. It keeps it on its toes alright, but often for all the wrong reasons. I have seen members of the opposition opposing something that they themselves put in place when they were in Government.

The Government on the other hand has made it its business to respond to every whim of the opposition. It gives  the impression of not being very sure of what it committed to do for Kenyans. I therefore think Kenya is not yet ready for democracy even if I am just but a lowly Layman!

P.S. I get the distinct impression that we can use a population census to select leaders instead of costly elections. Just pick one person from the largest community to be President and one from the second largest to be deputy president. Other smaller communities can in the meanwhile get “very busy” to increase their numbers for future census (polls).