Professor PLO Lumumba has warned that Kenya risks deepening its political crisis unless leaders respect the Constitution and the rule of law, arguing that elections alone cannot transform the country.
Lumumba says the ballot box has lost its ability to produce ethical leadership, urging Kenyans to remain vigilant and organise for national renewal.
Speaking during a local radio interview on Monday, the veteran argued that political office had increasingly become a pathway to wealth rather than public service, attracting individuals motivated by personal gain instead of national interest.
"We appear to have misplaced faith in the ballot box. Africa's challenge is not the ballot itself, but the kind of politics it has come to represent. Too often, our politics fails to attract our very best and our most honest leaders. It is a combination of many factors," he highlighted.
Lumumba blamed the growing financial incentives attached to elective office for transforming politics into what he described as a life-and-death contest.
"If you want to be wealthy without effort, or with minimal effort, become a parliamentarian in Kenya. Then become an MCA. Acquire political office. Suddenly, within months, you can build a mansion that even if you worked for 100 years, you would never afford."
The senior counsel maintained that Kenya possesses sufficient laws and institutions but lacks commitment to implementing them faithfully.
"I have heard people say that we have the best Constitution. But having the best Constitution is one thing; applying it is another. This is a country with no shortage of institutions and laws. We even changed the name from the Police Force, a colonial relic, to the Police Service, so that the police could truly be a service to the people."
The governance scholar also expressed concern over growing impunity among political leaders across the political divide.
"There is now a crop of individuals in Kenya, across the political divide, in government and in the opposition, who believe they cannot be arrested because, if they are, members of their ethnic community will rise in their defence."
He warned that ethnic mobilisation, premature political campaigns and inflammatory rhetoric were pushing the country onto a dangerous path.
"We must not imagine for one moment that this country is immune. We have seen how countries just break down. This same kind of language was being spoken in Sudan. Go and look at Sudan. Look at Eastern Congo. Think about Somalia and the Central African Republic."
Despite his concerns, the lawyer urged Kenyans not to lose hope, insisting meaningful change often begins outside the public spotlight.
"Let us remember that we can never stop agonising. It is in that agonising that we organise. I know there are people behind the scenes who are working tirelessly to make this nation better."
He concluded by urging citizens to focus on civic education, constitutionalism and accountability, arguing that only sustained public vigilance would restore confidence in Kenya's democracy and prevent the country from sliding further into political instability.