Reflections on political and governance systems in Kenya

The struggle for independence in Kenya was won through the experience and struggle against oppression and brutal exploitation of the Kenyan people. The need to overthrow all forms of oppression and exploitation constitutes the emergence of a tradition of struggle for social and political rights. The agenda is far from complete, particularly in the face of the new challenges that have arisen in the wake of uncritical liberalization, naively embraced by the Kenyan system of governance and political leadership. Leaders play a pivotal role in political agenda setting, the distribution of resources and political actions. The contemporary state in Kenya and Africa in general is a remnant of a colonially imposed system. At the time of independence, elites attempted to transform this but only succeeded in entrenching their interests. Political leaders are the primary holders, controllers and distributors of power and resources in a particular institution (i.e. institutional power) and/or territory (i.e. geo-political power). This includes leaders who gained power by ballots and those who gained power by bullets including warlords and vigilante. For us to attain the Kenya and Africa we want, we need a positively assertive, tolerant and firm leadership to address constraints in our socio-political structures, economy and governance systems. Our Kenyan political structures have been poisoned by ethnicity and differences across social classes. For that, we require empathetic leadership since we have failed to use our diversity to enhance our growth and development as a country. We need leadership in which Kenyans develop their unique political institutions which they are sure will work best for our country and concurrently encourage global co-operation. We should strive for issue-based and solution seeking politics; not ethnic politics instituting wars and civil strife which have raged Africa across for decades where countries lucky to survive the aftermath have seen poverty, hunger, diseases, ignorance and political subjection. For our economy to strive we need visionary leadership whereby our policies will eradicate corruption scandals and overdependence on foreign aid, ensure food security, sustain employment, encourage industrialization and critically, conserve the environment.