Kisumu: It is evident that the practice of electing leaders based on ethnicity and the familiar ‘he or she is our person’ mantra has, over the years, denied many communities the opportunity to benefit from visionary and competent leadership. As Kenya steadily moves towards the next General Election, an increasing number of residents in Tinderet Sub County say the country must abandon identity politics and instead embrace leaders whose integrity, competence, and commitment to public service can drive meaningful socioeconomic transformation. Across the villages and trading centres in the area, the conversation is increasingly shifting from political loyalty to leadership performance.
According to Kenya News Agency, residents argue that while ethnicity has historically influenced electoral outcomes, the pressing challenges facing ordinary citizens, including unemployment, poor infrastructure, rising living costs, limited markets for agricultural produce, and inadequate public services, require leaders with practical solutions rather than ethnic appeal. Community Empowerment Advocate Peter Kiprotich says democracy flourishes when citizens exercise their constitutional right to elect leaders based on merit instead of tribal affiliation.
Kiprotich notes that communities should scrutinize candidates’ records, development agenda, honesty, and ability to unite people before casting their votes. ‘Leadership should never be treated as an ethnic entitlement. The moment voters prioritize competence over clan or community identity; they strengthen democracy and improve the chances of achieving sustainable development.’ He says leaders who know they will be judged on performance are more likely to remain accountable throughout their term instead of relying on ethnic loyalty during elections.
Businesswoman Grace Chebet believes the quality of leadership directly determines the pace of economic growth and investment. ‘Businesses thrive where there is stability, transparency, and sound decision-making. Investors are attracted to areas where leaders prioritize infrastructure, security, and efficient public services instead of political divisions,’ she says. According to Chebet, the Sub County has enormous economic potential because of its fertile agricultural land, vibrant trading centres, and hardworking population. However, she says this potential can only be fully realized if leaders focus on improving roads, expanding markets, supporting value addition, and creating an enabling environment for enterprise.
Youth leader Tom Kimutai says the younger generation has a unique opportunity to transform Kenya’s political culture. ‘Youth constitute a significant voting bloc. If they evaluate candidates objectively instead of following ethnic narratives, they can influence the election of leaders capable of creating employment opportunities and supporting innovation,’ he says. Kimutai argues that today’s young people have greater access to information than previous generations and should therefore investigate candidates’ integrity, educational background, leadership experience, and development record before making electoral decisions.
Woman leader Rose Jepchirchir says women have become influential voices in community decision-making and should use that influence to promote peaceful and issue-based politics. ‘Mothers understand the challenges families face every day, from paying school fees to accessing quality healthcare and affordable food. These challenges cannot be solved through ethnic politics but through capable leadership,’ she says. Jepchirchir urges women to encourage informed voting by discussing candidates’ policies and development agenda during community meetings, church gatherings, and social forums.
Community elder Daniel Kiplagat recalls that traditional leadership among many Kenyan communities emphasized wisdom, fairness, and selfless service. ‘Our forefathers respected leaders because they demonstrated good character and served everyone equally. Leadership was viewed as a responsibility entrusted to those who could unite the people and safeguard community interests,’ he says. He expresses concern that modern politics has increasingly become characterized by tribal mobilization, personal attacks, and empty promises instead of constructive debates on development.
Residents say future prosperity depends on leaders capable of improving agricultural productivity, supporting youth entrepreneurship, expanding educational opportunities, and strengthening healthcare services. They observe that farmers require reliable roads to transport produce to markets, affordable agricultural inputs, and value addition initiatives that increase household incomes. Young people need employment opportunities, access to affordable credit, and skills development programmes, while women require greater economic empowerment and support for small enterprises.
Many of them believe these priorities can only be effectively addressed by leaders who possess competence, strategic vision, and a genuine commitment to public service rather than those elected solely because they belong to a particular ethnic community. Political observers also note that issue-based campaigns encourage healthy democratic competition because candidates are compelled to present practical solutions to societal challenges instead of exploiting ethnic emotions.
Such campaigns enable voters to compare policies on education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, environmental conservation, and economic development, ultimately leading to more informed electoral choices. As preparations for the next general election gradually gathers momentum, civic educators continue encouraging wananchi to embrace independent thinking and reject divisive political narratives. For most of the people, the message is becoming increasingly clear that the prosperity of future generations will not be determined by whether a leader is perceived as ‘our person,’ but by whether that leader possesses the integrity, competence, vision, and commitment necessary to transform communities and improve the lives of all citizens.
