Effects of Political Intolerance on the Economy

Political intolerance is where two parties fail to accommodate the views and opinions of the other party due to subscriptions on different political ideologies. Many countries have burned due to political intolerance and Kenya is no exception. Kenya burned in 2007 because of different political ideologies and the lack of both leaders and citizens to accommodate the views of a different party.

Kenya was at her lowest moment in 2007/2008. The economy that had skyrocketed during the first term in office of Mwai Kibaki was almost brought to its knees. Investors could not come. People could not go out to trade. Buyers could not buy and everything was just out of control. People died and reconciliation is yet to be attained despite the persistent assurances from the political class that national healing has been attained. The fact on the ground is that wounds are still fresh and people are only tolerating each other because they do not want to fight. It is like a time bomb waiting for a small trigger to make it go off.

During the General Elections things were not as bad as they were in the 2007 General Elections. Tensions were there but the truth is that the cases that were ongoing at the International Criminals Court helped calm the situation. Politicians behaved and refrained from ‘calling for action’ because they feared being taken ‘to the Hague.’ But if there was no ICC, war would have broken out because the other party felt aggrieved by the actions of the other party. Economy slowed down as investors weighed the situation and guessing whether to invest or wait for a little longer. As usual, people were urged to ‘forget and move on’ without knowing where they were moving to.

The Jubilee administration took power. People called a digital administration. They said because old men had looted more than enough, maybe young men at the helm of power will be considerate and either loot a little or forfeit looting at the same time. They were wrong. Politicians as well as those appointed into different dockets embarked on a looting spree. One scandal after the other. The National Youth Service, the Youth Fund, the Tourism Fund, the Eurobond, land being grabbed and many other scandals. Kenya was turned into a political fight between the opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) and the ruling coalition, Jubilee. Political intolerance set in. Each side has been trying to outdo the other in proving their innocence. Attention has been shifted from development issues to political issues. Everything has been intertwined in politics. When teachers go on strike, education is not seen but gaining of political mileage is seen. When doctors go on strike, life is not seen but political survival is seen. This has been the norm in Kenya.

2017 is beckoning. General Elections are expected to be held during the month of August. Political intolerance has already set in stronger than ever. The opposition is breathing fire. It is saying that it will not accept a rigged election. The ruling party is out with guns blazing.  It is saying it knows it will retain power in 2017 ‘come what may’. The results have started coming out openly. During the State of the Nation Address in parliament, some members of the opposition could not stand the president and opted to stop his address by all comical means. At the end they had their say and the president had his way. As if that was not enough, Leader of the Minority in the Senate, Moses Masika Wetangula launched his presidential bit in Muliro Gardens Kakamega County. The event was marred with chaos, blood and mayhem. All was as a result of political intolerance. For the better part of the day, businesses were at a standstill and people could not buy or sell.

As they say, the writings have started appearing on the wall. Something has to be done. The question is, are our politicians able to tame the brewing violence among Kenyans at the moment? Sadly no. Why? To most of them, violence works to their advantage.

Article by Juma Fred.