The deciding vote

I was so high in spirit as hubby and I went to vote at our hometown, down at the coast and prayed for journey mercies. We arrived safely and set out early to go cast our vote. We had each registered at different polling stations though within the same county because we had two candidates to support, and common knowledge dictates that one vote CAN make a difference.

Upon arrival at 7am in the morning, the queues were already long. People had gone to the polling stations as early as 4am! just so as to be the first ones. Talk about being patriotic! The sun had risen and the rays were subtle. Guys at the queue were advising each other on the order of the queues. The voting was happening in streams according to the first letter of your first name.

There was disorder left, right and center as the queues grew longer and the sun's heat grew stronger. There was a lot of queue jumping and confusion as guys grew more impatient and anxious which is typical in controlling of large human gatherings. A lady was anxiously walking towards a different queue when she suddenly fainted! I think her body couldn't take it any more as it succumbed to the coastal heat, long hours on the endless queue and as most of the other voters, on an empty stomach!

If I thought Nairobi was hot, boy was I in for a shock! The coastal heat was just too much! It was like being in a sauna but on open space with more humans, vegetation and buildings! Luckily I had had breakfast but the thirst was drying up my throat faster than the sweat trickles. I kept sipping water to hydrate myself and the spaghetti top and skinny jeans underneath my buibui equally helped. Good thing I didn't dress heavily as I would have succumbed to the heat too.

At least the elderly, the sick and women with babies were allowed to jump the queue, to go cast their votes. All in all, it was an exciting feeling for having participated in this year's deciding vote. Now the anxiety of watching how the tallying of the cast votes begins as we each pray and hope with bated breath!

Useless? "Not anymore!"

"You are useless!" These words keep ringing in my mind whenever the voter registration awareness campaigns are being broadcasted either on television, radio or mobile sms. This is what our President Emilio said we are, those of us who haven't yet registered to vote come March 2013 in the county's general elections. Funny yeah? :-)

So, in the spirit of being patriotic and respect for authority, I traveled home to my native town down coast to register as a voter. I didn't want to be labeled useless anymore but rather a useful citizen who wants to take charge of her future. Just as the IEBC tagline goes, Your Vote, Your Future!

I could register here at the capital city but I want to make a difference in my home town because I want to make a difference. I owe it to the future generations a credible leader. One who understands what we crucially need to boost our community's general well being without malicious personal motives and gains that come with power and greed.

Even though I come from coast where there are many economic opportunities and wealth, the locals are the major disadvantaged lot and left out in the economic cake sharing. It is indeed a sad and demoralizing situation. I want to make a difference in the leadership of this country and the destiny of my future depends on my vote.

"Kura yangu ni maisha yangu nitakayo siku za usoni!" My Vote, My Future!