Manifestos are much more than marketing and campaign tools

It is the season of promises. Politicians are making all kinds of promises. Some spoken, others written.

Politicians are also demonstrating their intentions by actions on the campaign trail.

For instance, when the leader of one coalition lashed out at a boda boda who he claimed was causing a disturbance at his meeting, eyebrows were raised about the candidate’s temperament.

Written, spoken or implied manifestos matter a great deal. Here is why. 

The manifesto of the leading governor candidate for instance will be turned into the county integrated development plan.

Why, because it is presumed that the reason the candidate has won is that the voters found her plan credible.

They were attracted to it. They gave it legitimacy. Thereafter the annual development plan, on which the budget is based, is an annual slice of the five-year plan.

The same process applies at the national level. The winning candidate’s manifesto will be turned into the government’s five-year programme.

Consider the unlikely event where Mr Wajakoya wins. The Cabinet would approve and table before Parliament legislation to legalise weed.

The Agriculture and Devolution Principal Secretaries would write to the Council of Governors asking counties to align their agriculture departments with the national objective!

If the counties do not agree, then the strategy would be dead on arrival.

If Azimio wins, the Ministry of Health would start implementing Babacare.

Because health is largely a devolved function, the Health Cabinet Secretary would ask the counties to align their strategies with Babacare.

You would also expect the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to ensure that all Kenyans have health insurance.

In addition, NHIF would team up with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) to more precisely identify indigent families.

The latter would then get the Sh6,000 social protection stipend.

So, manifestos are not just marketing tools. They form the basis of the social contract between the citizen and the government.

All too often we are witnessing MCA candidates promising jobs, MP candidates promising to improve agriculture and so on. 

Stimulating growth

In truth, they may not have the platform to give effect to those promises.

Creating jobs is not just about lobbying for a few positions in the National Police Service or other institutions.

It is about stimulating economic activity. It is only when businesses are expanding, or new ones are being set up, that we can have new jobs.

For those businesses to expand or start, the environment must support their competitiveness.

That is why, for instance, the cost of energy is important.

I have previously written about Mr Kagiri and the chaff cutters he makes in Nanyuki.

He competes with products from India and China. His competitors pay less than five shillings per unit of electricity, while he pays about Sh21. How can he compete?

Manifestos must therefore be holistic. They must have internal coherence.

For instance, to argue that you will grow agriculture without growing manufacturing is pie in the sky.

The farmer will need tools, equipment and machines. Those needs are better met from domestic production right here.

@NdirituMuriithi is the Governor of Laikipia County