Then Mbeere North UDA candidate Leonard Wamuthende and Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku /FILE
With barely 18 months to the next general election, Kenya’s political temperature
already resembles the final stretch of a campaign.
Rallies, alliances and accusations dominate the national conversation,
creating the impression that elections are imminent. While political
competition is a vital feature of democracy, its early intensification risks
crowding out attention from urgent policy and governance challenges that
directly affect citizens’ daily lives.
The transition under the competency-based curriculum remains unclear for many
parents, teachers and learners, exposing gaps in planning and communication.
At the same time, the public health system continues to struggle with
underfunding, staffing challenges and frequent disruptions, placing a heavy
burden on ordinary Kenyans.
Questions surrounding the hurried sale or restructuring of state
corporations have also raised legitimate concerns about transparency, value for
money and long-term national interest. Overlaying all this is the broader issue
of the cost of living and the general welfare of citizens.
Both government and opposition leaders share responsibility for this
moment. A permanent campaign mode, where politics overshadows governance,
undermines service delivery and public trust.
Elections should be moments of accountability, not distractions from it.
As political actors make new promises, Kenyans have a duty to audit past
commitments and assess tangible outcomes.
Ultimately, effective leadership is measured not by rhetoric, but by
results that improve lives between elections.
“Emancipate
yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves
can free our minds.”
Bob Marley
The Jamaican
singer, songwriter and guitarist was born on February 6, 1945