By Lillian Onyango, DevReporter, Nairobi County
As much as you might think that your vote is secure and that you are the only one entitled to who will get it, sometimes money given by politicians has the power over your vote.
Terry Akinyi is a resident of Kibera and she explains how handouts given by aspirants can affect free and fair elections, where instead, voters end up with bad leaders just because of handouts
“Look at it this way, imagine an aspirant giving me money every day during his campaigns and on the other side another aspirant is giving me nothing. The other aspirant who does not dish out money seems to have a good manifesto and when he asks for my vote, I will be like ‘come on, what have you given me since you started campaigning? And when you can’t give me now, will you give me when you get in power?’ I then end up voting for the bad aspirant because in my head he has been giving me money which I never had” said Terry, a single mother of one.
While some voters believe that handouts can influence the environment for free and fair elections, some contend that they cannot be brainwashed though handouts.
“Voting is different from giving out money and besides, the one dishing out the money is not the one going to vote but me. My vote is my secret.” Said one voter who only identified himself as James.
What should be done?
- Kenya should emulate the developed countries which have free and fair elections
- Conduct voter sensitization on the importance of choosing good leaders
- The lack of adequate resources to engage in a campaign should not discourage one from contesting especially if they believe that they have a good agenda for the people
- Voters should choose leaders based on their manifestos and not handouts
- Voters should shun “handout” politicians.
If and when all the above are achieved, then nothing will be stopping Kenyans from having free and fair elections.
