Hi, Millennial Readers,  

Have you ever attempted to debate politics with your friends? How did it go? Did you reach a consensus on the topic you were discussing? How did you feel about your friend after the argument? Personally, I have been in such situations a number of times and having those conversations rarely resulted in a positive conclusion. As far as I can remember never have my friends and I ever reached a consensus when it comes to political topics. The more I think about how the Kenyan election is drawing closer, the more I worry because I think that we are not yet ready as we are yet to address a key issue known as political bias.

A few weeks ago, we were ‘peacefully’ watching a football match between Real Madrid -who recently won the Champions League Cup, and Manchester City -the reigning Premier League champions, when one of our friends abruptly played a video of our current president H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta. In the video, Kenyatta was heard accusing his deputy, H. E. William Ruto, of being negligent in his role as vice president and urged him to come and help him instead of abusing and criticizing the government that he too is a part of. 

Everyone listened to the clip in silence. However, as soon as it ended, one of my friends screamed out, “He is a bitter man!” I quickly interjected and pointed out that our vice president had been engaged in campaigning instead of focusing on his duties. Needless to say, things turned ugly very quickly. We ended up arguing for at least thirty minutes before I stood firm and ended the argument by stating, “Hakuna hata mzuri kati yao na hata hawatujui!!!” And people laughed. Translated; neither of them is even worth their seats and they are not even aware of our existence!!!

Clearly, I favoured one leader over the other, and I was angry when he was abused. Consequently, I will argue that I am biased because I am never willing to listen to what the opposing party has to say. Most of the time, while making a political debate, I already have an opinion about a specific leader, and I am always prepared to refute my opponents with or without facts.

I have only recently begun to question myself. Why is it so difficult for me to be open to alternative political ideas? Why do I dislike this leader while vouching for the other? Then I realized that I had never been neutral about political issues. We have knowingly elected officials who have been charged with corruption and even murder. At one point, it was noted that corruption causes daily losses of almost $2 billion. 

This is concerning because I feel like as a young person, I have failed our nation and the future generations because of my biasness. I have friends who do not believe in Kenyan politics to the point of not applying for voter registration. However, is this the best approach? Just to ignore the situation and think nothing is wrong with our nation?

As the Kenyan elections of 2022 rapidly approach, the majority of people will be riveted to the 24-hour news cycle in order to keep abreast of political developments. However, their cognitive biases will frequently impede their fact-finding efforts.

Third parties, particularly the media, take advantage of such situations to influence our thinking, therefore aggravating the problem. Indeed, everyone has heard of media moguls being accused of favouring one politician over another. Notably, the media has played an important role in exploiting our propensity to stereotype people by giving superficial information. In Kenya, they have played the tribalism card successfully.

The politicians have also exploited the situation, and the majority of them have flourished on our existing prejudice against other cultures and leaders. Notably, these leaders have successfully divided one community against another, as evidenced by the post-election violence of 2007, one of Kenya’s bloodiest periods in history. Once these generalizations are ingrained in our consciousness, it becomes difficult to discard them.

A prevalent form of bias in Kenya is groupthink. This notion illustrates how individuals adapt to a commonly held worldview in an effort to fit in and reduce conflict. Example: “I truly like this leader, but I can’t vote for him or her since he or she is not from our community, and my family will disown me if I do.” Tribalism has made us exceedingly prejudiced, and as a result, we are unable to elect a large number of competent leaders. Many people have already internalized the “Mtu wetu” (our person) mentality, making it harder for them to think rationally.

The Dunning-Kruger effect is another short of prejudice that is particularly prevalent among millennials and generation zs. This is a psychological form of bias in which a person with less knowledge appears more confident than their peers who may in fact possess more knowledge. It is a reality that the majority of young people do not listen to political news or even read more about politics. When making political arguments, though, you may truly believe they are experts. For instance, I once heard someone ask why we can’t just create more money and inject it into the economy to alleviate our current difficulties. Sadly, others who were hearing concurred. Anyway, maybe it was the Miraa talking. Many individuals are unwilling to learn about political developments in the country, yet they are often eager to dispute and defend their position without factual knowledge.

The final type of prejudice I frequently observe is the Halo effect. People make political decisions based on their impressions of a person’s personality or general look. We have heard people arguing that she or he looks like a goon; he can’t be a leader. Alternately, she is too lovely. I am compelled to vote for her. Such arguments are founded on a preexisting predisposition, which influences political judgments.

How to lessen our own Bias

It is challenging to recognize one’s own political predisposition. However, the first step in addressing this issue is to recognize that bias exists. I accept the fact that I am also a victim. One must be willing to admit that they are irrational when it comes to political matters.

Overall, there are two solutions to the problem of political bias. The first technique may be a top-down approach, which entails developing institutions that incentivize people to seek the truth about politics and facilitate the dissemination of vital political knowledge. Perhaps organizations such as media houses in the country should do a better job of giving impartial information and refrain from influencing the political opinions of the public.

The second strategy we utilize is the bottom-up approach. Here, individuals should be encouraged to find appropriate methods for overcoming their personal political bias and maintain an open mind. Personally, I am making an effort to determine my own biases and to listen to others more, before making a political judgment. Both tactics may work to build a society that is more open and adaptable. In the meantime, however, it is up to us as people to assume responsibility and work harder to establish the groundwork for greater political engagement in the country.

It is time for the youth to have this challenging dialogue. I am certain that we are the leaders of the future, but transformation begins early; it is a difficult and blood-sucking process. We will have to debate and despise one another, but we must accept reality and alter our perspective on politics. The moment has come for a revolution. As the August election nears, let us not forget that our political prejudice could cause us to suffer for the next five years due to poor leadership. Let us engage in self-reflection and strive for objectivity in regard to political issues, as they will affect our future.

That is just my take on the matter. Regardless, I hope you’ve found this information useful. I would love to hear from you. Please leave a remark below.

Cheers!

Fabian ✌✌✌