Politics are on my mind- as of recent. Probably due to the midterm elections in the US, which were hugely disappointing to those of us who support progress, women’s’ rights, sexual education in school and equal access to opportunities regardless of race. This conservative backlash, while expected, is still tough to stomach. Do we really think that this type of political agenda is the answer to America’s problems right now? Anyway- the sad state of the elected government in the United States is not my point, I’m just trying to stress that I’ve been thinking about politics, thus want to share my observations on this topic as it relates to Kenya.
While politics in Kenya can be frustrating, what with the constant corruption/ tribalism, coming from the US it is also refreshing. When I say that politics here are refreshing I should clarify a bit. I do not mean to say that I enjoy the internal squabbling, tribalism, disappearance of public funds into MP pockets, etc. etc., but rather the enthusiasm and knowledge of politics by the people of Kenya. Every Kenyan I speak to- regardless of age, geographic location, tribe- seem to be hyper-aware of what’s going on in their country’s government. And actually it’s hard not to be well informed here- the local news plays throughout the day, the majority of the national newspapers’ articles revolve around politics, and the topic of conversation in local pubs and restaurants seems to constantly turn back to this. This stands in stark contrast to the United States where apathy about the political processes and system is so common- especially among the younger generation. Though it was largely young Americans that got President Obama elected- this was an exception to the general way of things in recent history.
Political Art at Kuona Trust- an artist community in Nairobi
In observing this difference, naturally I’ve been wondering what’s causing it. Are young Americans just less concerned about their government than young Kenyans? I do not think this is necessarily the case. Here in Kenya I think people feel like they are closer and more connected to the political process than people in America. While the wide coverage of elections, mps and political news helps it is not the sole reason people here are involved.
