Wiper Presidential Campaign Head Abubakar Zein Abubakar has said Kenya remains trapped in a recurring cycle of political and governance crises, arguing that the country’s troubles stem from deep-rooted historical injustices and a persistent lack of legitimacy in public institutions.
Speaking during an interview on Radio Generation, Zein said Kenya’s governance structure has been in “crisis management mode” since independence, with successive political elites using short-term deals and power-sharing arrangements to defuse public pressure for genuine reform.
“Kenya was born out of crisis,” he said. “Colonialism, and particularly settler colonialism, created a framework of oppression — dispossession of land, subjugation of the people, and the use of state power to enforce foreign interests. From that history, we inherited a state that suffers from a crisis of legitimacy and a crisis of confidence in its institutions.”
Zein, who was part of the team that framed Kenya’s 2010 Constitution, said the country’s political class has consistently failed to honor the transformative vision that the Constitution envisioned — one rooted in people’s sovereignty and accountability at all levels.
“Every time there is pressure for change, the elites come together, make a bargain, share power, and deflate the public demand for transformation,” he noted. “But our experience shows that this kind of crisis management is not sustainable, it only postpones the inevitable.”
He added that while Kenyans consistently express a desire for change, many fail to hold their leaders accountable between elections.
“It’s not a blank check for leaders to do whatever they like for five years,” Zein said. “Citizens must actively exercise their sovereign power not just by voting, but by demanding transparency and participation in decision-making, especially at the local level.”
Zein defended Wiper’s “One Term” campaign philosophy, saying it symbolizes a call for leadership that believes in constitutionalism and national healing.
“The fish rots from the head,” he remarked. “If those at the top of government do not believe in the Constitution or are unwilling to be bound by it, then the country cannot make progress.”
He added that no meaningful reform can occur as long as the current administration remains in power, urging Kenyans to rally behind transformative leadership committed to justice, unity, and accountability.
