Kenyans should be ware of the spread of populism across the country prior to the 2022 August General Elections

Malulu, who had earlier ditched the DP and met Odinga, renewed his friendship with Ruto. “I was literally trembling when I met Odinga, unfortunately, he (Odinga) and Oparanya thought I was dancing to the reggae tune”.

He said to cheers from the crowd that gathered at his home (The Saturday Standard, December 19, 2020).

Then, the DP (he was the Chief Guest) responded, “We have invested a lot in this man Malulu Injendi. We will not let anyone snatch him away easily”.

Fear of repercussions

Malulu Injendi trembled. Why? Fear of repercussions from his benefactor for betrayal. Hence, hosting him in his homestead as a total loyalty pledge.

Hon. Malulu is the calibre of MP, who was elected ahead of 10 others. Reason: a heavy Ruto investment. Handout syndrome, coercion and deceit.

There is no way systems and institutions will work in Malava until the Malava people free themselves from the chains of Ruto investments in individuals.

Victims of populism

Malava people are victims of populism. Malulu means bitter (unpleasant), which is the opposite of sweet (sugary).

He is a poisoned chalice in the Malava political conscience. The Malava people may take long to see sunrise if they continue to congregate to cheer populists.

People should not be cheated. No investment of a leader in another leader will remove you from poverty.

Clear personal interests

These are clear personal interests. Ruto-Raila-Ruto ne yingara (walking in a circle). Only functional institutions and systems will facilitate you out of poverty.

These are entities that collect and use your taxes to provide an enabling environment for you to develop yourself.

No one will bring development to you.

Skilled man power

The leader you elect to Parliament should oversee skilled manpower that run institutions that create and drive systems.

That deliver goods and services, financed by your taxes. The goods and services facilitate capital projects and their maintenance (roads, bridges, hospitals, schools, markets, water points, factories, power stations, telecoms, social amenities and environmental works).

These are indicators of development.

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Personal development

They facilitate your personal development (shelter/house, food security, family income, education, medication, clothing, means of transport and communication).

Politicians who purport to provide these goods and services are passing clouds. They are populists.

They are deceitful. Avoid them as plagues. They make you vulnerable to become beggars for things God granted you the capability to earn a living from.

Vulnerability of the masses

Populist politicians exploit vulnerability of the masses and work hard to create more of them. They pretend to be empathetic.

Yet, set out to create vulnerable people by dishing out cash and goodies for free. People are attracted to their meetings for these freebies.

And go home disappointed after the Ksh. 50-100 handout fails to put food on the table for the whole family.

Corrupt networks

Through corrupt networks, some of the populists make systems and institutions to malfunction.

The money and resources meant to get people out of poverty, illiteracy and diseases are looted and invested in personal projects.

Some of the loot is shared with you as handouts. What a tragedy!

Gaps in service delivery

This creates more vulnerable and poor souls. The populists, thus, create gaps in service delivery, which they feign to fill with cash and freebies.

They know that they won’t be there for long, so maximize on people’s ignorance to get the votes.

Their populism ends as fast as it came. But, this is after reducing people who were previously well-off to entities that live for the day.

Parallel projects under private funding

Tomorrow is left to God’s mercies. No dream, no vision. To endear themselves to the masses, some of them initiate parallel projects under private funding in competition with public programmes.

Two notable examples are the i) Sonko Rescue Team projects that provide similar services alongside City County Government programmes and ii) DP’s Multi-billion empowerment project, which runs parallel to the Kazi Mtaani projects.

These populist projects are short-lived , because they lack perpetual succession. Their lifespan depends on that of the sponsors, who have biological limitation on Earth.

Read more at https://thebigissue.co.ke