Oranges and politics

Kenyan politics is often more about tribe and personality than about policy. Many politicians change party quite freely, or just start a new one.

Near my home is Orange House, HQ of the Orange Democratic Movement, the main opposition party headed by Raila Odinga. Don’t confuse it with ODM-Kenya, a break away party, or is it the ODM who broke away but kept the same name? Confused? So are the voters, the courts, and me. ODM-K wanted to claim the Orange symbol but the courts ruled they couldn’t have it, neither could they have an orange on the background of a map of Kenya. Instead they would have to use the symbol of a whole orange and a half orange to distinguish them from ODM who would continue to use the whole orange alone. Clear?

This system is meant to help illiterate voters recognise their chosen party on the ballot slip. Other symbols have included the banana (not being used this time), a cockerel (former President Moi) and a variety of other fruit and animals as well as abstract symbols.

Other parties include the Forum for Restoration of Democracy divided into FORD-People and FORD-Kenya. Guess the meaning of NARC, NARC-K and KANU, but remember that many of them are joined together in PNU, a new coalition designed to support the existing President Kibaki.

By the way, these oranges are “yellow oranges” to distinguish them from ordinary (green) oranges.

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