It is no longer dangerous to have an independent mind

I am dying. We all are. No-one escapes death. With this certainty, we can all turn to the legacies we want for ourselves and our leaders. The deaths of Joseph ole Nkaissery, G G Kariuki, Nicholas Biwott and Bethuel Kiplagat over the last few weeks generated national mourning and derision in equal measure. Although all four were State Officers for most of their lives, they left very different personal and public legacies. Their demise illuminates the important choices before us on August 8.

Leaders cannot be separated from the context of their time. Kenya was a dark place of despair before 2003. The State was incapable of protecting public resources. The Judiciary cannibalised laws at the whim of the Executive.