- Kenya’s democratic experiment continues to face a litany of contradictions, one of the most glaring being the paradox of poor leadership representation in a country that prides itself on universal suffrage.
- Despite recommendations from civil society and the EACC, candidates with pending cases or who fail integrity vetting have rarely been barred from contesting.
- Citizens must be knowledgeable about MPs’ roles and responsibilities. Understanding what makes a good leader is key to demanding accountability.
In this article, I critically examine why individuals with questionable integrity often ascend to parliamentary leadership in Kenya. Despite constitutional safeguards, a culture of patronage, institutional weaknesses, societal value erosion, and the commodification of politics enable the election of unfit leaders. I challenge citizens to reflect on their role in perpetuating this cycle and call for a national value reorientation ahead of the 2027 elections. This is both a mirror and a wake-up call for Kenyans to demand credible, value-driven leadership.
Introduction
Kenya’s democratic experiment continues to face a litany of contradictions, one of the most glaring being the paradox of poor leadership representation in a country that prides itself on universal suffrage. Time and again, individuals with questionable integrity, unexplained wealth, violent histories, and little to no track record of credible public or community service rise to positions of influence in the National Assembly. This persistent pattern raises critical questions: Are the wrong people becoming Members of Parliament (MPs) because of institutional failure, or are they reflecting a deeper moral and value crisis within our Kenyan society? Is the political elite simply exploiting an electorate that has normalised mediocrity and grandiose promises, or are we, as citizens, manifesting our own identity crisis in the very leaders we choose?
The Crisis of Integrity and the Legitimacy Paradox
From the onset, many political aspirants in Kenya exhibit glaring integrity deficits. Chapter Six of the Constitution of Kenya (2010) lays out explicit standards for leadership and integrity. It demands that public officers bring honour, public confidence, and integrity to the office. Yet, this legal framework has largely remained ceremonial. Numerous annual reports by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission observe that many elected leaders possess wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income, are involved in violence during campaigns, and are under active investigation for corruption and criminal offenses. Despite this, these individuals continue to win electoral seats by overwhelming margins.
This legitimacy paradox, where those who clearly do not qualify by ethical standards still gain overwhelming popular support, is both puzzling and troubling. It reflects a disconnect between constitutional ideals and societal norms, between legality and social acceptability. One reason the wrong people ascend to Parliament is the entrenched culture of patronage politics. Kenyan elections are often transactional. Politicians act as patrons, and voters become clients who expect material incentives in return for votes. This commodification of democracy reduces leadership selection to a market exchange rather than a merit-based process. African politics, and Kenya is no exception, is dominated by informal networks where identity, money, and loyalty trump vision and service.
Campaign periods become showcases of wealth: helicopters, cash handouts, branded merchandise, free food, and mobilised crowds. These gestures easily sway many voters, who are caught in cycles of poverty and exclusion. They are conditioned to equate leadership with generosity, even if proceeds of corruption or criminal enterprise fund that generosity.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has been unable or unwilling to enforce Chapter Six of the Constitution in vetting candidates. Despite recommendations from civil society and the EACC, candidates with pending cases or who fail integrity vetting have rarely been barred from contesting. Moreover, the political parties themselves have failed to conduct meaningful internal vetting. Nominations are often chaotic, undemocratic, and dominated by the highest bidder. Political parties in Kenya are often vehicles for personal ambition rather than ideological or policy-based formations.
The People’s Mirror: Electing from Among Us
It is convenient to scapegoat politicians, but the painful truth lies deeper. People often elect from among themselves, and they elect those who reflect prevailing societal values. When corruption, impunity, and shortcuts to success are normalised in society, they inevitably become criteria for leadership. Kenyans must ask difficult questions: Why does a convicted fraudster become a hero in his village? Why does a known thug become a mobiliser for a candidate? Why is the flashiest, not the most competent, often the most popular aspirant?
This phenomenon can be traced to what Prof. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o once called “the culturalization of politics,” where community identity, ethnic protectionism, and patronage override rational and value-based leadership selection. In such an environment, elections become ethnic censuses and loyalty tests rather than competitive platforms for ideas and service delivery.
Kenya has several upcoming by-elections due to the nullification or death of MPs, and in many cases, constituents barely feel the absence. This reality should be a wake-up call. If the absence of a representative does not create a gap in service, then it means representation has been largely symbolic or decorative. A Parliamentarian who never sponsors legislation, never conducts meaningful public participation, or never holds government accountable can vanish without notice, and no one cares.
This disinterest reflects a citizenry that has become disillusioned with Parliament’s role. MPs have become more concerned with constituency-level projects (often the work of the executive) and less focused on their primary roles: lawmaking, representation, and oversight.
Spiritual Decay and the Absence of Moral Voice
The media plays a significant role in shaping public perception of leaders. In Kenya, the media often amplifies drama over substance, scandal over service. Politicians trend more for what they wear, whom they insult, or the size of their motorcades than for their policy positions or legislative productivity. A 2021 report by the Media Council of Kenya indicated that political coverage in the country disproportionately focuses on personalities and ethnic affiliations rather than policy debates. This creates a situation where citizens are more informed about political theatrics than governance outcomes. As a result, public engagement with political issues becomes shallow and reactive.
Historically, the church and civil society played a pivotal role in calling out leadership failures. However, this prophetic voice has been dimmed. Some religious leaders have aligned with political elites, exchanging moral clarity for financial contributions and political influence. The absence of a moral compass has left a vacuum where the veneration of wealth, regardless of its source, overshadows integrity. Leaders who flaunt ill-gotten wealth are celebrated, invited to fundraisers, and honoured in churches. The line between good and evil, right and wrong, has been blurred.
A Call for National Soul-Searching
As Kenya looks towards the 2027 elections, there is no better time for collective soul-searching. If we continue to elect unqualified, unethical, and self-serving leaders, we must accept that the problem lies not just with them but within us.
The way forward requires bold steps:
- Civic Education Renaissance: Citizens must be knowledgeable about MPs’ roles and responsibilities. Understanding what makes a good leader is key to demanding accountability.
- Value Reorientation There is a need for societal introspection on the values we cherish. Do we celebrate hard work, honesty, and vision, or are we drawn to showbiz, instant wealth, and tribal loyalty?
- Leadership Vetting by the People: Beyond the IEBC, communities should establish platforms (like citizen forums or town halls) where aspirants are vetted publicly and made to commit to integrity pledges.
- Strengthening Institutions: The IEBC, EACC, judiciary, and political parties must be held accountable for failing to enforce the law. We must demand that Chapter Six be treated as sacrosanct, not optional.
- Reclaiming the Moral Voice: Faith institutions and civil society must reclaim their place as conscience keepers. Silence in the face of mediocrity is complicity.
The proliferation of the wrong people in Kenya’s Parliament is both a symptom and a reflection of a deeper societal malaise. Integrity is not a technical requirement for leadership; it reflects a nation’s moral standing. We must admit that we often elect what we are, not what we need. If we want a better Parliament, we must become better citizens. If we desire credible leadership, we must embody and demand credibility. The election of 2027 is not just another election; it is a mirror held to the soul of the nation. Will we like what we see?
CEO Accent Leadership Group and Policy Leader Fellow, European University Institute
