The 2026 US midterm elections offer Kenya a lesson ahead of next year's General Election: voters expect governments to deliver, while political parties must present credible alternatives and practical plans.
The November 3 elections saw Democrats win control of both chambers of Congress in a setback for President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. The outcome demonstrated that political support cannot be taken for granted and that parties must respond to citizens' concerns.
For Kenya, approaching the August 10, 2027 General Election, the message should be clear: the government must account for its record, the opposition must present workable alternatives, and political competition should focus on ideas that improve people's lives.
Kenya needs a politics of development rather than one driven by insults, resentment and endless confrontation.
A strong opposition is essential to democracy. It questions government decisions, exposes wrongdoing and offers alternative policies. However, criticism alone cannot constitute a national development programme.
Kenyans deserve to know what those seeking to replace the current administration would do differently. What are their proposals on healthcare financing, agricultural productivity, employment creation and economic growth? How would they implement these plans, what would they cost and how would their success be measured?
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It is easy to declare government policies failures. It is harder to explain how alternative proposals would work and how they would improve citizens' lives.
Political slogans and demonstrations may attract attention, but they cannot replace practical policy proposals. The opposition must demonstrate that it can identify national challenges and offer workable solutions.
This does not mean the government should be shielded from criticism. Political accountability is necessary, and disagreement is part of democracy. However, political hostility should not become the main instrument of opposition politics.
President William Ruto's development agenda also deserves scrutiny. His government took office amid fiscal pressures, public debt obligations, unemployment and structural economic challenges accumulated over successive administrations.
His administration has pursued an economic transformation agenda anchored on agriculture, affordable housing, healthcare, the digital economy, micro, small and medium enterprises and employment creation.
The Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) seeks to expand economic opportunities for farmers, small traders, entrepreneurs and workers who have often remained outside the formal economy.
These are important development priorities. However, their success must be measured by what Kenyans experience, not what government policy documents promise.
Healthcare reforms must improve access and affordability. Housing programmes must provide homes that ordinary citizens can afford. Agricultural interventions must improve farmers' incomes, while economic policies must create opportunities for young people.
The administration must also address concerns over the cost of living, public spending and accountability. These are matters that directly affect households and should form part of any assessment of its performance.
President Ruto's government should receive credit where policies produce measurable results and face criticism where they fail to meet their objectives. The same standard should apply to anyone seeking to take over the country's leadership.
Kenya cannot afford to abandon development programmes every five years simply because political leadership changes. Continuity allows institutions and long-term investments to mature. However, it must go hand in hand with accountability and the willingness to correct failed policies.
The country has experienced the consequences of ethnic mobilisation, political intolerance and divisions built around individual leaders. Kenya needs a political culture in which leaders can disagree without turning opponents into enemies.
The opposition has a constitutional right to challenge the President, just as the government has a responsibility to listen to criticism. Neither side should treat political disagreement as disloyalty.
National development requires cooperation across political and regional divisions. Healthcare, education, infrastructure and employment are concerns shared by Kenyans regardless of their political affiliations.
For the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the 2027 election presents an opportunity to make a case for continuity under President Ruto. However, that case cannot rest on campaign slogans or criticism of political opponents.
The party must account for its record, explain unfinished programmes and demonstrate what another term would deliver. Its arguments should be supported by measurable outcomes in agriculture, healthcare, housing, infrastructure, industrial development and employment.
The government must also demonstrate responsible use of public resources, confront corruption and ensure economic opportunities reach Kenyans across the country.
Continuity should not mean complacency. It should mean retaining policies that work, correcting those that fail and building on existing investments.
Opposition parties, in turn, must explain why their proposed alternatives would deliver better results. Voters should have a clear basis for comparing the competing programmes rather than being left to choose between competing political personalities.
Ultimately, the 2027 election will be decided by the concerns of ordinary households.
A farmer in Nandi wants to know whether agricultural reforms have improved earnings. A mother in Kapsabet wants affordable healthcare for her family. A graduate in Nairobi wants employment opportunities, while a small business owner in Kisumu wants an environment in which enterprises can survive and grow.
These are the issues that should shape the national political conversation.
As a doctor, I understand that patients need an accurate diagnosis, effective treatment and evidence of recovery. Governance requires a similar approach: identifying problems, implementing workable solutions and demonstrating improvements.
That is the standard against which Ruto's administration should be assessed. It must also apply to every candidate and political party seeking the country's leadership.
The American midterm elections have demonstrated that no political party owns the electorate. Public confidence must be earned through performance and responsiveness.
As Kenya approaches the August 10, 2027 General Election, political parties must present credible plans, defend their records and explain how their policies will improve citizens' lives.
UDA must demonstrate the results of its development agenda. The opposition must offer more than dissatisfaction with the incumbent. Voters, in turn, must demand evidence, accountability and practical proposals from everyone seeking public office.
Kenya cannot pay school fees with political insults, create employment through hashtags or build infrastructure through demonstrations.
The choice should be between competing ideas, competence and accountable leadership, not permanent political hostility.
Kenya needs leaders who can build, deliver and unite, not politicians whose greatest achievement is keeping the country in a permanent campaign season.
Dr Martin Kipchumba is a consultant surgeon, entrepreneur and commentator on leadership, governance and national development.