Unlike the grieving process involving actual death, political grief doesn’t always come in clear stages and can be lengthened indefinitely, depending on the circumstances.
Although the elections have since been relatively safe, political grief in Kenya is affected by our history of post-election violence. People are still afraid of publicly sharing their political opinion. A silent fear still haunts us during every election period.
One thing people should realise, there is a life after the election and even though u have lost , need to encourage yourself that next time you will do better. you’ve accepted the outcome, get involved with politics. Elections are just the start of what is a complex policymaking process
Focusing on healthy living will help restore your energy. Give yourself breaks from the news – and politics. Get enough sleep, eat well and get some exercise.
Limit time on social media, or better yet, log off altogether for a few days. While it’s a way to connect with other people and share information, it’s also a key source of political misinformation, echo chamber conversations and polarized thinking. Overall, too much time on Facebook or Twitter can intensify anxiety and depression.
Affirm the value of democracy. Electoral loss is scary because it means having to contend with unwanted or disliked policies – and can create extreme polarization. But accepting loss is part and parcel of democracy.
Being on the losing side of an election may create distrust in the system and dissatisfaction with democracy.