Since announcing his candidacy for the presidency, Ganja Economics candidate Prof. George Wajackoyah has remained a talking point among Kenyans due to his unconventional ways.
Alongside his running mate Justina Wamae, the self-titled “roots master” has promised to legalize marijuana if elected.
With his signature durag, reggae-themed rallies, and down-to-earth demeanor, Wajackoyah has, without doubt, spiced up Kenyan politics and has captivated many, especially the youth.
He is challenging political bigwigs, Raila Odinga of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party, and deputy president William Ruto, vying on a UDA ticket for the country’s top job.
“Wajackoyah is a new face in politics. Raila and Ruto have been in government for a very long time. They’re not new in the game. They have made one promise after another but have done nothing much even when they have the power to change the situation,” Phelix Otieno, a 24-year-old student from Juja, said.
“In Kenyan politics, you have to be a crook, someone with a background in corruption, in order to win. One becomes popular for the bad things they have done, not the good,” Phelix said.
Although he isn’t excited at the prospect of legalizing weed, Phelix believes the Roots Party leader presents an opportunity for change.
“In Kenyan politics, you have to be a crook, someone with a background in corruption, in order to win. One becomes popular for the bad things they have done, not the good,” Phelix said.
For many voters aged between 18 and 30 years, candidates like William Ruto or Raila Odinga hold little appeal due to their lengthy careers in government. Although 19-year-old Buruburu resident Wambaa will not be voting, he feels that Wajackoyah is the best from a comparative view.
“I am not very confident in the candidates we have. I do not subscribe to the mentality of choosing the lesser evil, which is what most people are doing,” Wambaa said. The chairman of Raila’s party is our outgoing president, and he isn’t exactly an angel himself.”
While he appreciates Wajackoyah’s promise to legalize weed, he doesn’t find the rest of the manifesto relatable.
Besides legalizing marijuana, Wajackoyah stated in his 10-point manifesto that he would move the capital from Nairobi to Isiolo, shut down the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), and most controversially, encourage the farming of snakes, exportation of dog meat and hyenas’ testicles to revitalize the economy.
Detractors have dismissed the manifesto as a joke, while would-be voters like 18-year-old pollster Emily are put off by the idea of ‘commercializing animal cruelty.
“Selling wild animal products would hurt the environment. Wildlife is the one thing that has created income for people in Kenya, so talking about killing hyenas to sell their private parts is impractical,” Emily, who only gave us her first name, said. “Surely, in all honesty, how does farming snakes help us as a country apart from increasing the death rate and filling the cemeteries? And who is demanding dog meat for us to export?” Emily pondered.
While she supports his plans to legalize weed, she also feels the rest of his manifesto is bogus.
“He plans to make Kenya a fun country instead of developing it into a second or first-world country. Putting him in power and seeing his manifesto come to life will cause this country to tumble to its death. I would rather smoke weed in secret than destroy the country our forefathers sacrificed their lives for.”
However, Raila and Ruto remain the two leading candidates despite the widespread mistrust many young people feel towards them. As a candidate from a minority party, Wajackoyah has been accused of being a paid puppet meant to split the vote.
For this reason, Bailey (not his real name) a 29-year-old mapeddi (drug dealer) from Utawala says he will be voting for Ruto instead.
“We didn’t know who Wajackoyah was before April. In Kenyan politics, every time there’s an election, there’s usually one or two candidates who are just there for the probability numbers,” Bailey said.
Bailey said he believes that even those who claim to be for Wajackoyah will vote for Raila or Ruto anyway because they’re just fake supporters.
For 26-year-old Maclean, Wajackoyah is nothing more than “a political joker.”
“He comes with good ideas, but in terms of model, they’re not so good,” Maclean intimated. “He says he has degrees, but none of that is seen in his talking. For instance, he keeps on talking about weed, that we’ll sell it to another country.
I expected that he would produce some reports like ‘I’ve spoken to this and this country, and this is our agreement’ other than just saying we can capitalize on it,” Maclean said.
Even amongst weed smokers, the issue of its legalization has been met with scrutiny.
“If you make weed very accessible, the usage will increase, and this will have adverse effects,” Phelix says.
While he advocates for legalization, he also wishes to see strict regulations put in place to control usage.
Alex, a 20-year-old student from Athii River, feels that the youth have simply been captivated by the idea of legalizing weed without doing more research. “They just feel like they can walk round the roads, spark a j, and not get arrested,” Alex said.
Unfortunately, those excited about this are not adequately educated on decriminalization or legalization. If people understood both, then they would make better decisions.”
However, Maclean believes it is not yet time for Kenya to legalize weed.
“The intention of Roots Party is not really known. In a morally correct country, maybe we can legalize [it]. Legalize in Kenya now? I don’t think it’s time,” Maclean said.
As election day nears, Roots party seems to be imploding in on itself. Recently, Wajackoyah hinted his support for Raila while his running mate declared herself to be for Ruto.
Despite this, for the youth, whether they support him or not, Wajackoyah has provided an opportunity to seriously discuss the possibility of legalizing weed in Kenya.
Some youth feel that change is inevitable, even if it takes another five or ten years to manifest. Even for Bailey, who thinks that Wajackoyah engages in too many theatrics, there is a positive side to him entering the race.
“I don’t want the dynasties to continue ruling Kenya. The Kenyattas, Moi, and Odinga families have had their time, so I hope to vote for someone new one day. I think that will happen in five to 10 years when more youth take leadership roles. Out with the old, in with the new,” Bailey said.