A NATION ALWAYS ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

In Kenya, politics is less of a process and more of a performance; a never-ending stage play with recycled scripts and familiar faces. The scene changes, but the plot remains the same: speeches laced with promises, rallies dressed as savior missions.

The Kenyan political theatre has evolved into a continuous loop of recycled narratives paraded under new banners. For decades, citizens have condoned the inveterate cycle of political campaigns marked by grandiose speeches, hollow promises, and stern warnings aimed at dissenters. These events primarily serve to renew political vows made at the altar of rallies and sealed at the ballot box.

The misguided belief among politicians that citizens need more handouts, food packages, and bold assurances than tangible development is now tightly woven into the nation’s bureaucratic DNA.

Funerals, weddings, and worship sessions have been co-opted into platforms for political posturing, as leaders seek to boost their mileage ahead of the next general election. In a country bruised by divisive rhetoric and tribal politics, there is a desperate need for leadership rooted in holistic development, not self-preservation.

Every weekend is punctuated by convoys of high-end vehicles snaking through small towns and markets, with Waheshimiwa preaching politics of convenience through sunroofs. Despite the ruling elite’s cavalier disregard for the plight of the poor, the local mwananchi still finds reason to erupt in cheers at every remark by mheshimiwa. The tragedy is that these campaigns are rarely about vision or transformative policies. They’re more about alliances, betrayal, ethnic arithmetic, and optics. It’s a race of who can outmaneuver the other politically, not who can better the lives of the citizens. Kenyans become spectators of high-stakes drama: cheering, jeering, and hoping.

It is time the youth redefined the political paradigm by demanding bold reforms and the implementation of development policies that can propel the country toward groundbreaking achievements in all sectors. Allowing leaders to campaign on fresh manifestos before fulfilling previous ones is both diabolical and frustrating.

As soon as one campaign cycle ends, another begins. There seems to be a fundamental disconnect between elected officials and their actual duties. Mheshimiwa is always everywhere, except in their designated office. By the end of their tenure, little appears on their performance report, as they spend most of their time “familiarising” themselves with the grassroots.

Keen observers of this political theatre understand that many of these leaders are not engaging citizens to serve but rather to cajole new voters, assert dominance, or respond to criticism. It has never truly been about the voter.

In the wake of a galvanized youth, new tactics are employed to keep the circus alive. More clowns are hired. As long as the youth remain divided, the country operates on a kind of systemic inertia;one that ensures the status quo is never disturbed.

                                                                           Credits: Freepik

The endless cycle of campaigns stifles progress and innovation. We do not need weekly reminders of a leader’s deeds, past or promised. After all, that’s what representatives are elected to do: to work, and to do so tirelessly.

True transformation in Kenya’s political landscape will not come from speeches or sunroof theatrics. It will come from a united citizenry, especially its youth, who refuse to be entertained and instead demand accountability, integrity, and action. Kenyans must become active citizens, not just voters. We must learn to question, to challenge, and to track the promises made versus the results delivered. Until we shift the focus from “who will win” to “what has been done,” we remain trapped in this loop.