There’s a reason we can’t recognise ‘servant leaders’

There must be a non-negotiable absolute minimum level of expectation with which we can gauge the suitability of anyone aspiring for public service.

The voting public is not an illiterate herd but a tax-paying and discerning potential employer who must be given facts and figures on politicians’ resumés to hire the best.

As we wind down the clock to Ballot 2013 in March, all manner of aspirants have thrust their way into the public’s consciousness, seeking their mandate to be called waheshimiwa.

Sadly, many have come with shock and awe tactics as they are armed with hard cash whose source is suspect since the average villager knows what economic activity each contender has been engaged in.

Some splash ostentation with multi-million shilling fuel guzzlers, a sycophantic entourage in tow, branded memorabilia, and even whistle-stop campaigns using helicopters to dazzle dirt-poor villagers and packed stadia with lofty promises of their ability to unshackle them from the chains of want.

Surprisingly, their speeches are replete with conciliatory messages, easy camaraderie reigns, carnival atmosphere, a phalanx of spiritual message conveyors and crisp, while well edited manifestos are easily at hand.

This year, all the candidates are in agreement that the hydra-headed ogre of youth unemployment, runaway insecurity, xenophobia, hate speech, illiteracy, infrastructural poverty, lack of product markets, ill health, a discriminative or tone-deaf central government and tribalism are fair targets and legitimate reason for new hands on the plough.

Then come the scare-mongering with warnings of the dire consequences that could befall whole communities should certain parties and/or candidates fail to curry favour. Why? Are they privy to something sinister the rest of us don’t?

Brick and mortar

Sometimes, the rhetoric in our political echo chamber threatens to dull the senses. Any chance these aspirants can listen to their diatribe and decide whether what they pledge at campaign rostrums is true?

If they can be honest with themselves first, then they will find voters armed with hope and willing to partner with county leaders who will not be prisoners of the status quo.

Such a county will have formed a successful partneship with a shared vision and leader. Together, they will appreciate and learn to respect the strength in their county’s diversity. Reason is that any community’s brick and mortar lies not in its numbers, but in the diverse skills and resources of its members.

And if the message of goodwill over this past Christmas and calls for sobriety and tolerance this year from all aspiring leaders are to be believed, then Kenya should make a giant leap of progress and bring the goals of Vision 2030 ever closer, sooner.

However, are these the “servant leaders” as envisaged or are they wearing cloaks of humility under which are steel-burnished merchants of impunity and corruption?

Only time will tell.