Deciding who to vote for in an election can be a challenging task for the average voter. Most of us voters are not willing to look beyond tribe and Party affiliation in assessing the suitability of a candidate. While Dagoretti North Constituency stands out as multiethnic block in which many communities live together in harmony, the curse of tribalism that bedevils the whole nation always hounds us during election time as it was witnessed in 2013. Most voters during the 2013 elections were siding with a member of the tribe or an affiliate of the two major coalitions ( CORD and JUBILEE).
Another major factor in the voting patterns of our people is Party affiliations. Anyone fielded by major parties, regardless of their experience, ability to deliver, track record or moral standing, are more likely to be elected. It is important for Dagoretti North Voters to understand that elections present them with very important choices. Much as you think it’s just choosing someone to represent us in parliament, it is important to understand that the direction of the constituency may never change if the individual voted for has no intention of solving issues that affect us.
It’s now three years since we voted in our first member of parliament as a new constituency but but there is nothing on the ground to show any benefit or progress for the people of Kawangware.
While it is important to look at party affiliations in choosing a leader, particularly after getting to understand the direction we are likely to proceed as reflected in the party manifesto, it is important to understand whether a given candidate has the ability to address issues affecting his/her constituents. If that’s not the case then our constituency will be left behind as other regions develop and offer better services to their constituents.
As voters of Dagoretti North Constituency, we should be in a position to make informed choices about who to vote for in the next general election. Here are a few things you should consider:
- First and foremost, judge a candidate by the positions they take on issues affecting us and their leadership qualities. Some of the things to consider include education, basic amenities and youth unemployment.
- Do research on the candidate to ascertain that he or she is a person of good integrity and is known to stand by his words. A wayward leader is least likely to address our problems and this has been proved many times.
- The last thing is to look at the candidate's leadership abilities. Is he a person who will stand with his constituents in the face of pressure and other political challenges? Is he a leader who will interact and discuss with his constituents in regard to issues affecting them and how best to tackle them.
As voters of Dagoretti North Constituency if we put this few points ahead of tribal or party affiliation,s then we will be in a better position to elect leaders who will deliver and put us at par with other regions.
