How undemocratic political parties hurt economic growth

Kenya has 68 fully registered political parties. They range in actual registered membership, national influence and regional following in their strongholds. Their shared common denominator is regional and tribal profiles. This, in essence, makes crafting of unstable ethnic coalitions at the national level to enhance national appeal and electoral fortunes, inevitable.

Through their chieftains, parties have branded themselves as bastions of ethnic nationalism and political battle formations to “secure development” from the centre to their strongholds. By development, they imply projects and public sector jobs for sons and daughters of the tribes. This ethnic nationalism and its world view are so powerfully drilled that anyone perceived to oppose or differ is viewed to “betray the cause,” and branded a traitor. This version of parties devoid of national ideological and economic visions and aspirations has in effect alienated some would-be-leaders from active political participation.