Youthful political leaders who believe Kibaki's good times can return

ODM leaders led by Secretary General Edwin Sifuna during service at Coast PAG church, Kawangware, Nairobi, on January 25, 2026. [Benard Orwongo, Standard]

The world is being treated to a new breed of leaders, those who defy the norms and still make sense because the presumed norms make no sense. In defying the norms despite the odds in terms of exercising raw power, they inspire hope that eventually good things would come. They also represent a generation shift in that they tend to be youngish, daring, and well exposed to earthly matters. Each sounds like novelty and yet strikingly resembles heroes of the past who inspired people in their time.

In colonial times, they included Harry Thuku and Jomo Kenyatta before the Mau Mau War, Dedan Kimathi during the Mau Mau War, and Oginga Odinga and Tom Mboya in the 1950s. In the post-colonial times, they included Kenneth Matiba, Raila Odinga, Wangari Maathai, and Martin Shikuku. In the third decade of the 21st Century new leaders are cropping up because of perceived sense of hopelessness.

The new breed of leaders are post-colonial born free babies. Born when Daniel arap Moi was president, they remember Moi-associated events such multi-party agitation and the chaos that followed elections in the 1990s. Edwin Sifuna was born in May 1982, Cleophas Malala in June 1985, Ndindi Nyoro in December 1985, Babu Owino in October 1989, and Winnie Odinga in March 1990.

They remember Mwai Kibaki’s good times with his ‘watoto wasome’ philosophy, the availability of Constituencies Development Fund money everywhere to handle small local issues, the construction of highways and the sudden bank generosity in giving affordable loans that stimulated the economy and gave rise to the ‘nduthi’ industry.

They noticed how bad things became after Kibaki left office. Mega corruption reportedly ruled the economy, national sovereignty was surrendered to external entities, and the health and educational sectors collapsed in the midst of obnoxious luxuries for the select few. They wish they could restore the good Kibaki days when things worked. 

Nairobi Senator Sifuna, at 43, appears to be the team leader. Hard working, independent, brilliant, daring, charismatic, he reminds some people of Tom Mboya. He showed his independence within ODM, differed with power brokers, and still retained Raila Odinga’s confidence.

Raila seemingly did not want a shameful repeat of what had happened to former ODM Secretary General Ababu Namwamba when ‘Men in Black’ invaded the ODM meeting at Kasarani and essentially ended Ababu’s days in ODM. The ‘Men in Black’ helped to erode Raila’s claim to being a democrat.

In addition, Raila seemingly lost touch with the youth, especially after the 2024 Gen Z uprising, due to his obsession with stopping Gachagua which led him deep into Ruto’s political embrace. Siding with Sifuna against ODM honchos was Raila’s way of reclaiming relevance with the youth. Sifuna is close to Malala, the DCP secretary general who attracted attention writing plays in praise of the Gen Zs and Babu Owino. Malala is independent just like Babu, Sifuna, and Winnie. Besides being an authentic Odinga, Winnie would like to remain independent and keep a safe distance from political wheelbarrows.

Then there is Ndindi Nyoro who imagines he is Kenneth Matiba’s political heir. Letting his performance in Kiharu speak for itself, Ndindi found a neglected politico-economic niche, waiting. His analysis of what ails the country makes sense and brings him close to what Matiba had tried to do in 1990. Careful with words, he sounds ‘mature’ and is therefore a person to watch as he attracts attention by exposing policy mischief.

The new breed of leaders is making political waves. They look fresh and build credibility by not being anyone’s ‘cows’. With youthful vigour and clarity of mind, they reassure sceptical public that the Kibaki good times can return. With their independence, their public acceptability goes up when self-confessed political ‘cows’ attack them. Watch them.