By Antony Oyugi
LESSONS FROM SOUTH AFRICA
With over 75% of votes in, we can project that ANC has won this one followed by DA and EFF. The parties will get about 57%, 24% and 10% respectively.
A few lessons to Kenyan politicians especially those seeking the Presidency….
RAILA ODINGA
Raila Amollo Odinga may make another stab at the Presidency and needs to learn something from this election. Raila leads the largest and most popular party in the country. He also has the tag of a liberator. I would compare his party ODM to ANC. They’re twins. What’s happening to ANC is that it’s losing grip. It’s support base is disappearing albeit slowly. The party is going below 60%. Twenty five years ago, it got over 70% of the votes.
What’s the cause of the decline in support and who’s benefitting from it? The cause is a myriad of factors including allegations of corruption both at the national and party level. There’s also this issue about some people bring perceived as the owners of the party while others are outsiders. Such and other factors are disenfranchizing the party’s support base. The party needs to also come up with a new message. We’re post Robben Island. The young leaders in the party also need to be encouraged and supported by the ‘elders’. There’s a feeling by the restless young population that the party is slow in addressing issues. That’s why EFF was formed. Malema and others felt the elders weren’t serious. As ANC declines, EFF is rising. For a party that’s barely 5 years old, 10% in South African terms is commendable considering you’re eating into a behemoth’s numbers.
All these problems facing ANC are mirrored in ODM. Change is necessary.
WILLIAM RUTO
He needs to learn about political messaging from EFF and Julius Malema in particular. Package your message around one thing, be clear and consistent about it. EFF is clear about land and equality. In as much as their message is radical, they don’t shy away from preaching it.
Malema just like Ruto is a hustler. He doesn’t belong to royalty. The difference between him and Ruto is that he doesn’t use it as a campaign tool and doesn’t shout about it.
The EFF and Malema didn’t focus on discussing individuals especially President Ramaphosa or the DA candidate. Focus was on issues
MUSALIA AND KALONZO
You’re the DA in our context. Many of us still don’t understand what you stand for. You seek to please everybody thereby leaving us confused. Stand for something and put your message across.
TO THE YOUTH
EFF is basically a party for the youth but they didn’t delve on this as a selling point. Unlike our youthful politicians they didn’t talk about wazee wakae kando. They focused on policy issues.
Let’s learn!
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