Political Risk Analyst Dismas Mokua has challenged Kenyans to look beyond political alliances and personalities when choosing leaders, saying public officials should instead be judged by their record, competence and commitment to serving the public.
Mokua said too many politicians had turned public office into a tool for personal and political benefit while failing to deal with problems affecting ordinary citizens. He said the focus ahead of the 2027 General Election should shift to what leaders have achieved, the quality of their ideas and their ability to deliver results.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Thursday, Mokua pointed to the housing sector, where he said poor planning and weak oversight could leave residents living in unhealthy conditions.
He questioned how some buildings with poor ventilation and little or no natural light were approved by local authorities despite the possible effects on the people living in them.
“I'd like you to imagine that you live in this tiny house which has no ventilation, there's no natural light coming in. You can't even stretch your hands, and maybe you are a family of say six,” he said.
Mokua said people living in such conditions could develop health problems, while officials involved in approving buildings that expose residents to such risks often escape accountability.
He said public officers who approve developments that put residents' lives at risk should face both financial and criminal consequences.
The analyst also urged voters to examine the past performance of politicians now coming together in political coalitions ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said some politicians were entering alliances mainly because they wanted positions in government, rather than because they had a clear presidential agenda or new ideas for running the country.
“They want to use power as a factor of production, and it's unfortunate that in Kenya, majority of people elected to public office, they use power as a factor of production, like land, like labour,” he said.
Mokua said Kenyans should also separate the ability to represent people from the ability to lead, arguing that success in elective politics did not automatically mean a politician had the skills required to manage wider responsibilities.
“There's a big difference between representation and leadership. So most of them excel in representation, but when it comes to leadership, they've got these challenges,” he said.
He cited National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula as an example of a politician whose experience across different arms of government, in his view, showed the kind of record that could demonstrate readiness for higher office.
Mokua said merit should play a bigger role in determining who Kenyans support, warning that failing to put competence at the centre of political choices could weaken the country's governance.
He also criticised the growing political divisions, saying they had made it difficult for Kenyans to have meaningful discussions about long-term national plans and the ideas needed to address the country's challenges.
“In my view, in Kenya, we are supposed to be attacking ideas, not personalities,” he said.
Mokua said political debate should therefore focus on the strength of leaders' ideas and policies instead of personal loyalties and political friendships.
He warned that politicians had increasingly placed themselves above the ideas they were expected to champion, making personalities and alliances more important than the policies they offered to the public.