Kenyan Pundit

Polling Station Kasarani

Originally uploaded by ateka.

Voters line up to cast their vote during Monday’s referendum.

Popularity: 22% [?]

Voters Kasarani

Originally uploaded by ateka.

Popularity: 21% [?]

Tried to blog yesterday, but all the cyber-cafes in my neighborhood were closed. Trying to grab a matatu home before it gets dark so this is rushed.

- First, I will echo everyone who has commended Kenyans for voting peacefully and continuing the trend towards maturity as a democracy…it was funny reading all the international news coverage that had the words “predicted violence” in the first sentence. Wonder how many editorials there will be commenting on the peaceful exercise of democracy and the great job done by the Electoral Commission of Kenya under difficult circumstances?

- Mood on the ground as far as I can tell is that people are happy with the Orange Victory for a whole bunch of reasons that point to how little this had to do with the draft constitution at the end of the day. Some of the reasons: for those who took time to read the document, it was obvious that parts of the draft were cobbled together and inconsistent, not to mention parts of Bomas that were dropped (especially devolution and reduced exec powers); people felt that the draft was being forced down their throats by an illegitimate process and wanted politicians to listen to them rather than speak at them; people felt that if we have waited for fifteen years then they were prepared to wait longer rather than live with a flawed document; this was a vote against the government and an expression of dissatisfaction with the status quo (inevitable since the government itself turned the whole process into a vote of confidence); Kibaki’s lame attempt at influence-peddling and bribery, especially towards the end of the process signaled a return to the days of sycophany which Kenyans didn’t appreciate; the arrogance of the Banana side as exemplified by the President’s infamous pumbavu remark (seen on a placard yesterday, “Nani pumbavu sasa?”) and the fact that having expressed a particular position he wouldn’t go out and meet the people face to face in support of his position; this was a vote driven by fear of the return of Kikuyu hegemony in government (no coincidence that the only province to vote Yes was Central)… Lots more reasons have been expressed in editorials in the Nation (a guy called Macharia has a particularly good one) and the Standard. More thoughts on the outcome and post-referendum scenarios to follow.

- Randomness: Java House cafe on Mama Ngina was boarded (as in with mbaos) up since Saturday, but Dorman’s right across the street was open for business all through the weekend (and gained a new customer in the process). Wonder why one business owner was more paranoid than the other…

- SMS I received this morning, ” Tunasikitika kutangaza kifo cha ndizi, mtoto kubafu wa Kibaki, kutokana na Orange. Mazishi ni hapo KICC wakati wowote. Roho haki na ipotee milele.”

- AOB: Orange victory came on the eve of the first anniversary of the Orange Revolution in Ukraine (or so some guy on Nation TV claims, haven’t had time to verify).

Popularity: 3% [?]

So, D-day is finally here. This has been democracy in action…all the ugliness of the campaign process aside. I didn’t get to vote, much to my disappointment, because I was still in the U.S when the voter registration period ended. I was an official observer though, so I did get a “taste” of the voting experience. I covered polling stations in Kasarani and Embakasi constituencies and I am now back at the office fielding calls/getting reports from our observers who are all over the country. Some quick observations about the day so far…

- I was impressed to see a lot of young people voting…particularly people in their twenties. Perhaps this is just a reflection of Nairobi’s demographics.

- Too early to tell which way the vote is swinging. One “No” agent in Kasarani claimed that “watu wengi wananyonya machungwa (lots of people are sucking on oranges)” though.

- Kenyans take their right to vote very seriously. No wonder the MPs were so quick to shoot down the recall clause during Bomas. There was a sense of civic pride and even jollity at the polling stations where I was present. For majority of Kenyans, this is the only time for their voices and opinions to be heard no matter what their background or social status is…it’s ironic that a process that has been so divisive relies on a mechanism that puts everyone on equal ground. After experiencing how voters in the U.S. have to be practically begged to show up at the polls, it has been refreshing to see people value their right to express themselves at the polls. I spoke to one guy who couldn’t vote because he had lost his I.D. during the registration process…he was so disappointed about not being able to vote and said he felt so left out.

- The polling stations I visited were all in primary schools (e.g. Roysambu Primary, Kayole Primary, Baba Dogo Primary, Thika Road. Primary). Folks, the state of these schools (all in lower income parts of Nairobi) was terrible and depressing. I don’t think any of these schools had been painted, let alone thoroughly cleaned, since they were built. The classrooms are dreadful enough when they are empty, I can’t imagine how much worse it is when school is in session and particularly now that government schools are overcrowded due to the free primary education program. The gap between the haves and the haves-nots is entrenched from the very beginning of one’s life as a Kenyan…very sad.

- The areas I visited were what I’d consider to be the “real” Nairobi. I’d not been to some of these places in years…it was shocking to see what unrestricted and unmanaged construction has resulted in…a true concrete jungle (will try and post pics tomorrow). I don’t recall seeing a green patch of grass ANYWHERE within the residential areas. No open spaces where kids could play, hardly any color apart from commercial billboards, just block after block of shifty looking apartments that look like they took a week to put up.

- I did see something that put a smile on my face though, remember those home-made cars (I forget the sheng word for them) we used to make in the estates especially during Safari Rally…now in my days, you used to endesha them with a contraption made of wires and blada…at Kayole I saw an improvement…black plastic bags tied to the cars that enable the cars to be propelled by the wind…I wish I could have taken some pics, it was pretty neat.

- There are reports that voter turnout was low in Naivasha because workers in the flower farms were not given time off by the employers…I hope someone is investigating this.

- There are also reports of low voter turnout in places where pre-referendum tensions were high. Also reports (unverified as of yet) of Yes people bribing voters with cash in Western Province.

That’s it for now…

EDIT: Another view from the ground.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Orange Supporters Outside Court

Originally uploaded by ateka.

Orange supporters awaiting for Raila et. al to emerge from court after Tuesday’s ruling on the validity of the referendum

Popularity: 2% [?]