POLITICAL LIFESTYLE IN KENYA.

Politics in Kenya is a lifestyle, you choose which lifestyle category you want. The one that throws stones, the forever activist who stays on the tabs, the one who is in meetings forever, and the one who calls the shots. Where are you? You have to be somewhere, it is a lifestyle. We actually enjoy it and there is nothing wrong with that, as a matter of fact it shows our interest and roles in our political culture.

The one who throws stones, is also the one who is invited to dance and cheer for some cash of-course, goes without saying. On the political chain , they are the majority and the most important despite being the last of the chain. Unfortunate, but it is the fact. Politics wouldn’t be what it is, if they did not exist. They drive the public policy agenda. It is with them that carry most societal problems and it is with them, there are fiscal policies to solve the problems.

The forever activist, a key player in driving public agendas. This one cant be on the streets to run or dance, have you seen Gaitho? Itumbi? They rally behind their favorite of-course with a good pay, goes without saying again. They have massive online engagement enough to drive the direction of the masses. Enough to be able to drive policy, case in point the finance bill 2024. They are equally of good and bad measure, depends on which you are on, and if you are able to give the something hefty. Survival is a must, and its okay.

The meeting goer, the meeting-holic. They are always in a meeting. A round-table discussion in Naivasha, a retreat to write a policy brief in Mombasa, bench marking in New York, a people dialogue festival in Nairobi as the resident panelist. This group is intelligent, with the connections. They want to be seen and heard, they are on the telly giving insights, blogger pages and doing press meetings everywhere with big titles. The serve in the bureaucracy, the political institutions, civil groups. We all know someone who is here. In this chain, they are right before the ones that calls the shots.

The one who calls the shots. The chosen few, who have managed to get through all these other chains either through power, money or both. They have enough resources to mobilize, cheer groups, bloggers, and bureaucrats. They have perfected the art of making these other groups, collide then make peace, cause chaos again and make peace through a simple hefty handshake that comes with a windfall. They choose who they want, based on loyalty and ability to bring resources. They are on top of the chain. Their decisions, poor or good, trickle down to the rest.

So where are you? what are you doing where you are? opinions here are of my own .Some are facts, most are truths. Any way Mount Kenya tour continues. Observe the political chain keenly. See you soon.

By Ms Grace.