Urging voters to take campaign money is immoral, Mr Gachagua

Opportunism. This word aptly describes Kenyan politics. It does not matter whether one is in opposition or government; everyone is angling for “an opportunity.” Clearly, the transactional politics we are used to in Kenya is advancing to new heights.

The truthful man from Wamunyoro, Mr Rigathi Gachagua, aka Riggy G, is running on a political moral dilemma. Campaigning for Kenyans to join the gravy train to State House to “get the money” but sing Wantam once they are out of the fortified zone raises interesting ethical and moral questions. Does encouraging supporters and anyone who gets an invitation to the State House align with individual and collective ethical behaviour? Should beneficiaries of such arrangements search their souls for what it means to be patriotic? What wrong do the giver and the receiver of money from such gatherings, if at all, commit?

Politically, encouraging voters to accept campaign money from the opponent, wherever the serving points are, makes sense. But that is just at the political level, and its devoid of political morality. From a political ethics perspective, the culture of “free money or cheap money” comes out as opportunism. By law, such behaviour is criminal. Leaders are custodians of public trust. They must be seen taking the lead in generating political hygiene.

To encourage supporters to go for campaign money undermines the dignity of political institutions. The public interprets such encouragements as a permission to go for free money, free things, free services, because they have the capacity to know when to “exploit opportunities” and when to be right. Over time, we forget that political institutions are not immune to public ethical conduct.

The problem here is reducing good governance to transactional politics. While it achieves its goal of scooping up money from the opponent, it risks entrenching a culture of voter dishonesty.

Already, the campaign period in Kenya epitomises a lack of political morality. Candidates dish out cash at every joint to poverty-stricken voters for whom spending hours for a few coins gives them a feel-good moment of how important they are before politicians. Let us be honest with ourselves, not only the poor line up for the so-called free money. Most of us want a share of free money. Money we don’t deserve, but which we think we must have because it comes from a politician.

We risk normalising opportunism. Over the decades, political leaders have used money to buy loyalty. This kills patriotism while turning voter civic responsibility on its head. Voting should never be pegged on tokenism, patronage or disguised philanthropy. As a 'truthful man' who pushes the line of right, encouraging public dishonesty undermines the very principle he stands for. It will be helpful if he introspects for a better strategy to engage money-hungry voters who fall over each other to get free handouts. Resisting free money may seem unrealistic in the face of the high cost of living. However, Gachagua is creative to figure out how to advance his campaign without falling into political moral pitfalls.

What is the political dilemma here? The man from Wamunyoro is making political gains by encouraging voters to make money when the opportunity presents itself, aware that campaigns in Kenya are driven mainly by deep pockets rather than a developmental agenda. Yes, narratives of development characterise campaigns, but it is voter manipulation before and during voting that tends to determine winners. On the other hand, voters are supposed to make free choices at the ballot. How do the voters reconcile the contradiction of political opportunism and exercising political freedom of choice? Are we promoting transactional politics that exploit public resources or patriotism?

Gachagua risks encouraging political immorality, much as the culture of handouts has been normalised over the years. As a man who preaches a new national beginning, he should fight political opportunism, as neither the giver nor the recipient of campaign bribes builds public ethics in our systems of governance. 

Dr Mokua is Executive Director of Loyola Centre for Media and Communication