Failure to involve intellectuals in decision making is hurting Kenya

Parliament Buildings in Nairobi. Members of Parliament have been accused of poor quality debates. [File, Standard]

Kenya's political landscape is too important to be driven by shallow political discourse. Politics affects every aspect of our lives, from education and healthcare to infrastructure and national security. Despite the significance of political decisions, our discourse remains superficial. It is time we ask ourselves: Why isn't intellectual knowledge playing a more prominent role in shaping Kenya's governance?

The central argument is simple-political decision-making in Kenya must be rooted in intellectual rigour if we are to craft policies that address our unique challenges. The lack of well-reasoned, informed discussions in Parliament, county assemblies, and the media has produced weak and disjointed policies at both the national and county levels. Policies are often cobbled together in response to political convenience rather than being developed from solid, intellectually driven frameworks leaving Kenya trapped in a cycle of poorly designed governance.