Getting an early taste of electoral politics, and genesis of our deformed democratic cultures
Peter Kimani
By
Peter Kimani
| Oct 24, 2025
The youngest man of the house recently got an early taste of elective politics. Last month, he declared that he’d run for captainship of his House. I understand there are four such formations in school, so students from different grades compete under the auspices of a “House” in school-wide sporting contests. It’s something he enjoys, from swimming to sprinting to footie.
He arrived at the decision to run on his own, which wasn’t surprising. He’s got a mind of his own. There are instances when he chooses to chill at home, or turn up for a game of footie at the local club, where he’s served as captain, rather than visit his cousins to eat pilau.
I learned rather belatedly that a poster that he wanted printed and laminated, complete with his picture, was a campaign tool. He had inked pretty compelling virtues that he’d bring to the leadership of his House. I resisted the temptation to weed out some typos because I don’t take life too seriously.
And quite honestly, I don’t think in my ten-year old days of my life, I was ever interested in anything else other than playing and eating and repeating the cycle. I provided “leadership” on those fronts.
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Days turned into a week, then two. The young man reported some campaign posters from other candidates had been defaced. His poster had been spared, though, but he was distressed about those affected. He’s what psychologists call an empath.
I told him those defacing others’ posters were cowards. If they had the gall, they should deface those posters without hiding. Or offer their candidacy.
Week two came and went without incident. This week, he slumped on the sofa in the evening and sighed. He didn’t clinch the House leadership, he said. I enquired who garnered the most votes. He said he didn’t know. How many were cast? He shrugged. They got no specifics. The teacher just read out the names of those who won, he said.
But there was an irregularity. He said he was the only candidate running for the captaincy of his House. The one who was picked as winner was number two in another category. I told him we call that rigging in politics, and it appears our deformed democratic cultures are taking root from very early on.