Kenyan leaders' lack of work ethic holding us back

Has the character of the Kenyan governing elite changed? And what does this mean for the future of our country? These are important questions to ponder over the next few months as political temperatures in the country continue to rise over the referendum question. Throughout this process Kenyans will be wise to know that we can’t legislate good behaviour, and political goodwill. Ultimately, even with the best-designed institutions and systems, people matter. And the type of people we choose to lead us are key determinants of the output from out institutions. This is especially important at the founding moment of institutions because of the idea of path dependence.

One of the reasons Kenya, unlike many other African countries, avoided civil war was because at independence we had an elite class with an encompassing interest. What do I mean by this? I mean that the small group of men and (a few) women were individuals who had an interest in keeping the country peaceful and stable. These individuals; many with investments in agriculture and commerce had internalised the need for a minimally functional and stable society. They were by no means angels. Far from it. They stole land. They killed political opponents. And refused to effectively deal with the plight of thousands of landless Kenyans whose land was stolen by colonial settlers.