As part of creating awareness about what Uchaguzi is doing to promote peaceful elections and also reporting on issues bloggers were tasked with writing posts. This week we are focusing on 5 things we would do before the elections.
What are the five things I would do before the elections?
1. Find out the roles and responsibilities of each of the elective posts. After listening to Betty Murungi @BettyMurungi on Wednesday at a BAKE (Bloggers Association of Kenya) Baraza talking about the various posts and her showing us where to find the roles and responsibilities I realized that there is a lot I don’t know or things I just assumed. Did you know that the women’s representative is like a super MP for the county and they don’t represent only women’s interests?
There’s a lot in the constitution that we need to read especially the schedules at the back. They are important for us to read because they explain how the constitution will be implemented and what roles and responsibilities each post has. Betty was kind enough to give us a pocket sized, easily readable constitution. We need to read the Fourth Schedule which explains the distribution of functions between the national government and the county governments. Also read chapter eleven which talks about the devolved government.
2. Join I Run This City. Eric Latiff @EricLatiff also did a presentation at the BAKE Bazara on the I Run This City initiative. He started by asking us to whether we knew who we voted for as president in the last election. We all did. Then he asked us about MP. We all knew who we voted for. Then we were asked about councilor. None of us remembered who we voted for and whether they even became councilor. He talked about the importance of the ward representative.
I came away with the idea that I must know who will run my city and I must get involved in how my city is run. This is not a short term project. I need good services. I need to choose representatives, a governor and a ward representative who can deliver. I have already investigated and come up with a credible candidate for ward representative. The thing is we need to vote for ward representatives who represent our ideals and want our city to become better. So please join I run this city. Let’s work together to make our city a great place to live, work and play.
3. Pray for the country. I need to pray seriously for this country. I am praying already but I am thinking I should dedicate a whole day or two just praying for the country. My church Parklands Baptist has been praying and fasting every Thursday but I have not yet managed to do my part. I will do so before the next elections. Next Thursday I think I will do it.
4. Go shopping. Regardless of how the election turns out I don’t want to run out of foodstuffs. I have a feeling people will buy and hoard stuff. I need to buy things early so that they don’t run out and we are caught unaware.
5. Preach peace. Blog about it, tweet peace, Facebook peace. Basically talk and live peace. We need to encourage others to keep the peace. So I will be a peace ambassador. I will not engage in hate speech or let others do it in my presence. I will be a peace maker wherever I go. I will join initiatives that advocate for peace as well. After all this is My Kenya, My Country, My Home.
I know there were five things I was supposed to do but I will add a 6th one. I will encourage people to report any incidences to do with elections to Uchaguzi. Below are the ways you can contact Uchaguzi.
• Text (SMS) message Send a message to 3002.
• Tweet with #uchaguzi Include the hashtag #uchaguzi in your tweets.
• iOS Install the free Uchaguzi app for iPhone and iPad.
• Android Install the free Uchaguzi app for Android-powered phones and tablets.
• Email Send an email to reports.uchaguzi@gmail.com.
• Web Create a report using this website. www.uchaguzi.co.ke
We were to tag five people and I choose Wamathai, Kachwanya, Uchaguzi, Mwirigi and Mwende.
