AfricaKenyaNewsPolitics

The Woman Who Rallies Crowds – But Won’t Vote

0
The Woman Who Rallies Crowds - But Won't Vote
Spread the love

The Woman Who Rallies Crowds – But Won’t Vote

Diana Mwazi is one of many young Kenyans who see the country’s forthcoming elections as a way to make money, rather than an opportunity to vote for people who could bring about change in her life.

The petite 20-year-old has carved out a small patch of influence in the male-dominated hurly-burly of Kenyan politics, in the informal settlement of Kibra in the capital, Nairobi, where she lives.

For a fee, she seeks out unemployed people to attend rallies and is happy to provide her service to any political party.

“I’m excited by the elections because I’m getting a job from politicians who want to show that they have the support of the people,” she says.

Election fever has gripped the country ahead of the 9 August poll – party slogans have become part of casual pleasantries, political posters are daubed across public places and the air is filled with music and chants broadcast from huge speakers mounted on campaign vehicles.

Both upstarts and veteran politicians are leaving nothing to chance, because creating an impression of popularity is key – and that’s where the crowds come in.

“Mobilizing people to attend a rally is not a tough job because finding youths who are jobless is very easy,” says Ms Mwazi, who does not plan to vote herself.

“Politicians are all liars. During elections they flock here like sheep, promising: ‘I’ll do this, I’ll give youth jobs.’ But when you elect them they do nothing.”

The Woman Who Rallies Crowds – But Won’t Vote

Crowd mobilizing is “a side-hustle”, says Ms. Mwazi.

She normally buys sandals from a market and sells them via WhatsApp groups, and the money helps boost her mother’s meagre income as a community health worker.

During the campaign period, Ms. Mwazi works with other crowd mobilizers, and depending on the number of people requested, she can gather between 40 and 100 people.

“I earn 500 Kenya shillings ($5; £3) per event but some politicians are generous,” Ms Mwazi says.

The attendees earn a similar amount.

“Politicians want their rivals to see that they have more support, so they take pictures of crowds and post on social media,” Ms Mwazi says.

She has had success in mobilizing young women, but young men have proven to be more difficult.

“Men are not dependable, they complain about the money being offered,” she says, adding that sometimes opposing groups of young people violently clash when they encounter each other on the campaign trail.

In a country where at least 70% of the population is aged under 35, ensuring young voters show up at the polls is crucial for those running for office in the six elections being held simultaneously, including for the presidency, parliament and county governors.

BY BBC

Felicity Gitonga
Felicity Gitonga is the founder of Africa Business News. abn, freelance writer, journalist, and author with a passion for telling stories.

World Vitiligo Day 2022

Previous article

Rosatom Participates In International Conference On Safety And Security Of Radioactive Sources

Next article

More in Africa

You may also like

Comments

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *