Went into town and the atmosphere was thick with elections. Clusters of bodabodas parked everywhere, some with pictures of candidates pasted on their bikes, others on their t-shirts. I am not sure if it was a part of it, but in the sky, a jetfighter wet swooshing by.
I went for a hair cut and in the saloon a loud discussion ensued muffling out the TV. Elections was the agenda, and for the thirty minuts I was there that was all they talked about, both the saloonists and the customers blabbing about which candidate said what and why to vote for what/whom.
In the streets after my hair cut I became aware of posters all over the place, on cars, walls, on bikes, barricades, etc. Its like a “season”, like christmas, or valetines and it has everyone in a participatory frame of mind.
There is a sense of excitement that one could mistakenly asume will pass after elections are over. But I was in Kenya the day after their elections and two to three days after that in 2007. It seems that the after elections is the tricky part, its the part of the elections process that spoils the festive atmosphere, the all inclusive or unifying energy that elections bring to a country.
Its like flying in a plane from Uganda(Entebe) to South-Africa(OR-Thambo). All the passengers climb aboard entrasting the pilot to deliver a safe and comfortable flight. We all climb aboard not knowing each other or greeting each other. The takeoff is smooth and the flight is quick and all goes well. But some where along the flight, usually closer to SA there is some turbulence and we all get concernd. When the plane approaches its desination we hold firm to our sits and sit still. When the plane lands safely onto the tarmac, skidding and gripping, we all rise in an applaud for the pilot(and add to that some praises).
