The Fruits of Our Choices: How Our Votes Shape Our Lives

By Steve Biko Wafula / Published September 1, 2024 | 2:31 pm

In the quiet moments when the day’s struggle subsides, and you reflect on the battles fought just to make ends meet, consider this: our lives are the sum total of our choices, especially the choices we make in the voting booth. Every time you feel the pinch of high prices, every moment you struggle to access basic services, every time you wonder how things got so hard—remember, this is the harvest of seeds sown long ago. The leaders we elect, the promises we choose to believe, the hope we pin on words instead of actions—all these contribute to the reality we face daily.

The recent protests across the country are not just cries for help—they are a mirror reflecting our collective choices. When people flood the streets, demanding better governance, lower taxes, or affordable living, they are, in essence, confronting the very consequences of their past decisions. It’s easy to blame the politicians for broken promises, but who put them in power? Who gave them the mandate to govern? We did.

Elections are not just a formality. They are a sacred responsibility, a powerful tool in the hands of the citizenry. When we fail to wield it wisely, we end up with leaders who fail us. When we are swayed by empty rhetoric or tribal affiliations, we compromise our future. The bitter truth is that the hardships we face today are the results of those compromised decisions.

Imagine a farmer who plants nothing but weeds and then laments during the harvest. Wouldn’t you call him foolish? Yet, as voters, we often do the same. We ignore the weeds—corruption, incompetence, dishonesty—in the leaders we choose. Then, when they grow and choke the life out of our economy, we are left wondering where it all went wrong. The cycle of poverty, unemployment, and insecurity is not an accident; it is the direct consequence of bad leadership.

Think about the cost of living. Every time prices soar, ask yourself who is responsible. Is it not the leaders who have mismanaged resources, borrowed recklessly, or failed to implement sound economic policies? When the cost of basic commodities rises, it’s not just a matter of global markets or external factors. Often, it’s because our leaders have failed to create a stable, self-sustaining economy. And these are the leaders we put in office.

Consider the state of our healthcare system. When hospitals lack medicine, when patients are turned away for lack of beds, who do we blame? We must look beyond the immediate frustration and trace the problem back to its source. If funds meant for healthcare are embezzled or misallocated, who suffers? The very people who voted those leaders into power. It is a cruel irony that we entrust our lives to individuals who care so little for our well-being.

Education, too, suffers under poor leadership. Schools without books, teachers without motivation, children without hope—these are the realities of bad governance. When we elect leaders who prioritize their pockets over our future, our children pay the price. They grow up in a system designed to fail them, and in turn, they become adults who cannot break free from the chains of poverty and ignorance.

Let’s talk about security. When crime rates soar, when we no longer feel safe in our own neighborhoods, we must ask why. Is it not because the leaders we trusted have failed to create opportunities for the youth, failed to enforce the law, or failed to tackle corruption within the security forces? We are reaping the fruits of our choices, and the harvest is bitter.

Even infrastructure—roads, electricity, water supply—bears the marks of our political decisions. When we drive on pothole-ridden roads or suffer through constant power outages, we are experiencing the direct consequences of electing leaders who do not prioritize public welfare. Corruption siphons off funds meant for development, leaving us with substandard services that make life harder with each passing day.

Our political choices also affect our environment. Leaders who turn a blind eye to illegal logging, pollution, or poor waste management are indirectly contributing to the hardships we face. When the environment suffers, so do we. Droughts, floods, and other environmental disasters are often exacerbated by poor governance, leading to loss of lives, homes, and livelihoods.

The recent protests are a culmination of all these failures. They are the collective outcry of a people who have reached their breaking point. But protesting alone will not solve the problem. We must recognize that our vote is our voice, and it speaks louder in the ballot box than it ever could on the streets. If we want change, real change, we must start by electing leaders who are committed to making life better for everyone, not just for themselves.

We need leaders who are accountable, transparent, and genuinely invested in the welfare of their constituents. We need leaders who understand that their primary duty is to serve, not to be served. But such leaders can only come to power if we choose them. If we continue to vote based on empty promises or superficial qualities, we will continue to suffer the consequences.

The power to change our lives is in our hands. It always has been. We have the ability to break the cycle of bad leadership, but it requires a conscious, collective effort. We must educate ourselves about the issues, scrutinize the candidates, and make informed choices. We must reject the allure of quick fixes and demand long-term solutions.

As Kenyans, we have the right to a better life. But that right comes with responsibility. We cannot afford to be passive or indifferent. We must engage with the political process, hold our leaders accountable, and most importantly, vote wisely. Our future depends on it.

In the end, the quality of our lives is directly proportional to the quality of our leadership. If we want a better life, we must elect better leaders. It’s as simple as that. The hardships we face today are not inevitable; they are the result of choices we made yesterday. Let us learn from our past, and make the right choices for our future.

The next time you cast your vote, remember that you are not just choosing a leader; you are choosing the kind of life you will lead. Choose wisely. Your future, and the future of your children, depends on it.

About Steve Biko Wafula

Steve Biko is the CEO OF Soko Directory and the founder of Hidalgo Group of Companies. Steve is currently developing his career in law, finance, entrepreneurship and digital consultancy; and has been implementing consultancy assignments for client organizations comprising of trainings besides capacity building in entrepreneurial matters.He can be reached on: +254 20 510 1124 or Email: info@sokodirectory.com

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