From washing cars to eating maize, the theatrics used by politicians in search of votes

It's the season of photo-ops. 

A photo-op, short for photograph opportunity, is an arranged opportunity to take a photograph of a politician, a celebrity, or a notable event. 

Politicians, in a bid to capture the hearts of the masses and win those all-too-important elective seats, engage in some of the most ludicrous activities as they step down from their gilded seats and rumble in paddy waters with the masses as the cameras roll.

Nairobi, Kenya's capital, is normally the home of some of the cringiest political antics that range from the downright bizarre to the patently ridiculous - roadside maize-eating, slum tours, cradling of poor, elderly women and farcical forays into various 'common people' daily activities. 

One of those who has been on the spot for photo ops is technocrat-turned-politician, Polycarp Igathe.

Igathe, the former Chief Commercial Officer at Equity Group, has been photographed and filmed carrying out several “common man” activities ever since he declared he would run for Nairobi governor that would appear to be photo ops.

Igathe has had a vibrant career in the corporate sector, having worked in senior positions at Vivo Energy Africa among other organisations. 

He is also the former Nairobi County Deputy Governor, though his stay at the position was shortlived.

After his announcement he was rejoining politics, photos have surfaced of him in slums, buying maize from hawkers, sitting at the edge of a water cart, washing cars, speaking sheng and preparing meals as he dances.

Unlike many politicians, who have mastered the art of using their mouths to rile up the public and employing fiery populism to sway the masses, Igathe has opted to use photo-ops with common wananchi. 

Igathe is not alone in pursuit of the photo-op.

Deputy President William Ruto has also had several photo-op moments, from hosting a group of jua kali youths who made a bench that turns into a table at his Karen residence and telling them he would order a couple more, to having tea with his new security team, when it was reshuffled amid controversy.

In the latter case, Ruto’s communications team had termed the change in security as ‘diabolical’ and ‘in bad faith’, but when the new security team landed at Karen, the DP was all smiles, and photos were circulated on his Twitter account, showing him having ‘chai’ with the team.

In the West, politicians pull the same tricks - they kiss babies (some whom show no interest in being kissed at all), pull up at the ice cream truck, sit at the KFC and munch away at their spicy chicken and play hide-and-seek with little kids at children's homes.

Kissing babies, especially, is both a revered and reviled American political custom. 

Former UK Prime Minister fed an orphaned lamb at a village farm, Ed Miliband unveiled an eight-foot six concrete installation of his manifesto, Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford drove around Toronto with a ridiculously tiny shovel helping neighbours dig cars out of snow and George Bush cleared bush on his Texas ranch. Click. Click. 

Virtually every image (and video) you see of a candidate on the campaign trail is contrived. 

As much as voters don’t seem to care if pundits call out the stunts, political candidates keep using them, all in a bid to woo them for that all important vote.