Leaders in perpetual campaign mode months after elections

Leaders continue to dispense strong doses of politics from the sunroofs of their cars to podiums.
Leaders in perpetual campaign mode months after elections
President William Ruto./Photo Courtesy

The election fever has persisted a full year after Kenyans cast their ballots in the general election.

Leaders continue to dispense strong doses of politics from the sunroofs of their cars to podiums. Just 12 months later, the nation feels as though there will soon be another election.

As a candidate in the last stretch of their campaign, President William Ruto has spent the last several days in the Mt. Kenya region, speaking at numerous events. Along with that, he also holds weekly church services where the sermon for the day is nearly completely replaced by political discourse.

Although the president has referred to his trips as “development tours” to kick off government initiatives, his messaging has focused more on current affairs politics.

Ruto has led government officials in denouncing the opposition for organizing protests over the high cost of living, in addition to defending his policies and selling his administration’s intentions—promises synonymous with campaigns.

They find it sad that Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya has not recovered from losing the presidential election of last year and is still engaging in pointless political games while disgruntled voters hide their frustrations behind demonstrations against the high cost of living.

“They (Azimio) mean to indicate that after the election, a year has passed, and they are still unsure of who the president is. Isn’t that madness?” Musalia Mudavadi, the prime cabinet secretary, stated during numerous stops in Mount Kenya.

Azimio has also kept things moving very quickly by frequently voicing complaints that, in his view, need to be addressed to avoid inciting his supporters to take to the streets again.

When Raila Odinga indicated he would accept the decision even if he did not agree with it following the Supreme Court’s ruling upholding Ruto’s victory in the polls from the previous year, it appeared as though he would put the issue to rest.

There was little indication that the public barazas he announced at a Bunge la Wananchi conference in Nairobi’s Jeevanjee Gardens last October would ultimately take the form of the public rallies that Azimio would subsequently hold.

The coalition started pushing for an audit of the election servers in addition to its complaints about the high cost of living and the recruitment of new electoral commissioners after an alleged whistleblower account of the polls gave the opposition some vigor.

Azimio has issued numerous demands to the government over the previous few months, and the Kenya Kwanza leaders have been tough-talking and insistent that they will not be intimidated by the opposition.

Samson Cherargei, a senator from Nandi, accuses the opposition of being unjust to a government that has only been in power for a year.”It is not fair at all because they are busy fabricating nonexistent crises for their self-serving political agenda in addition to inciting a campaign mood throughout the nation,” claims Mr. Cherargei.

The administration and opposition have been at each other’s throats in their never-ending verbal battle, which occurs between them after each election cycle with an eye on the following one.

The opposing coalitions have agreed to sit down at a table today, one year later, to work out difficult issues. However, Raila has issued a warning that if the discussions break down, his alliance will take to the streets once more.

However, Ruto has remained steadfast and has stated that he will not budge to their demands, which he claims are designed to gain a piece of his government.

However, both alliances’ goals have proven to be difficult to conceal. On the one hand, as he attempts to infiltrate hostile territory, Ruto is establishing his authority and gaining new supporters.

The government side now has unbeatable strength in the Senate and the National Assembly as a result of his invitation of political groups that were affiliated with the opposition to his side.

Azimio, on the other hand, is eager to take advantage of the president’s errors in an effort to ruin his chances of winning re-election.

Gitile Naituli, a university instructor, asserts, “The president must now begin to rule. He is campaigning  because he doesn’t think he won, which is why he speaks at rallies and visits churches every week.”

The government and opposition, according to constitutional lawyer Bobby Mkangi, should compete on technical requirements rather than using language that “makes it seem like the election is in a week.”

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