No laughing matter as lawmakers shake off label of previous careers

Kenyan celebrities who have tried their hand in politics. In 2018, Glenn Thomas Jacobs, a WWE superstar famously known as Kane, was elected mayor of Knox County. Even after he had been sworn in, Kane continued to appear in the ring; an astute administrator by day and a professional wrestler by night. Balancing both roles- completely unrelated- seemed an impossible task. Yet with unparalleled aplomb, Jacobs performed his duties so well he was rewarded with a second term as mayor in 2022, and the WWE also added his name to its hall of fame. Kenya's political arena is nowadays also awash with professionals from diverse fields. However, unlike Mr Jacobs, a lot of them abandon their careers once they ascend onto political positions. Tom Mboya, a political commentator, says that this happens because local politics are a conduit for quick enrichment for many, or an escape from toil that has few benefits elsewhere. As such, it is seen as the highest achievement by many- to enter that august House- and when they finally settle, they completely disassociate themselves from their past careers and earnestly pursue, for some, a lifetime career in politics. "One should have a career before becoming a politician. No one should want to be a career politician. We have, unfortunately, made politics so lucrative that some people leave careers even in the private sector and join politics to look for better fortunes," he says. The balancing act could prove deadly for any career, and even the finest of jugglers have to pick a master they will serve. Often, politics wins this battle at the expense of careers that saw many spend sleepless nights building. KJ and Redkylass Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie, popularly known as KJ, says that even lawyers, whose practice seems to thrive even after they join active politics, are wont to suffer frustrations as they are unable to accord their professions the time and attention it demands. That they have firms where other professionals labour on and on save face, otherwise many could see their careers go down the drain. Mr Kiarie is, himself, famous for his stint at The Redkyulass where he was a comedian. Questions would abound if he would indeed be willing to go back to comedy now that his duties of legislating, representation and oversighting the Government take much of his time. But Mr Kiarie was always an activist, he says, and for him, it was a seamless transition into politics. He was propelled by what he had done for years, which many simply perceived as comedy. "What we were doing back then was activism. We were pushing the Government of the day at a time when criticising it was unheard of. Acting became a tool to enhance what we were doing. The comedy we did lifted the veil of mysticism around the president," he says, adding that the best way to tell the truth is by using jokes, an intelligent method to communicate even the gravest of topics. Dagoreti South MP John Kiarie and his Langata Counterpart Jalango. However, many lauded the group (Redkyulass) for the comic displays but failed to read the message subtly floated across. He was not a "professional comedian" in the first place, doing it as a hobby when he was in university, and enjoying it. Even though the project grew big and gained wide acclaim and rave reviews, attracting a fanaticism that heralded TV comedy in the country, after university, he went into a career of communication, media and advertising, exactly what he was trained in. He says that Redkyulass served its purpose and exited, leaving others to take over and become the faces of their different eras. He wrote a column in the newspaper, was actively involved in youth movement and thrived in comedy, and through all, he did what he does today in politics, albeit in a different scale and in a different space. For him, therefore, being elected did not change the person he had been, nor did his "comedy career" slide down the cliff. Dismas Mokua, a political commentator, says that a professional may be unable to continue with their old careers once they become politicians if they were the "system" and were the face of whatever careers they were in. A ready, accurate and acceptable replacement is, in such a case, impossible to come by. A musician who goes to the studio every day and produces hit song after hit song may, once entrusted with new leadership responsibilities, lack time to visit the studio, and their career may therefore die. Such a person is the brand people subscribe to and a peer will not quite be an apt replacement. "But think about someone who sets a system that works. They can employ people to be in the firm and it could work even when such a person is not involved in the day to day running of the company," he says. Most lawyers do this as do doctors who own health facilities, and engineers who own firms as well. They, however, reduce their active participation in their own firms, which could still be of detriment to their individual career trajectories. Active participation Some careers need active participation and in committing to political duty, one may have to altogether discontinue them. As such, Mr Mokua advises, anyone aiming to get into active politics should conduct a comprehensive, honest analysis of benefits against consequences of such a move, and then carefully weigh this against their selfish interests. "If politics are aligned to one's selfish interests, they could go for the political opportunity. If not, then it is advisable to give it a wide berth," he says. A new legislator would, for example, lobby for a legal environment which benefits their trade and which, therefore, bodes well for their career, such as an elected musician driving legislation that generally betters artistes' fortunes. This could be a win-win for such a leader. There is also a risk of going into politics and leaving behind blossoming careers and then, after the distractions of their new roles, returning and struggling to appeal to a market they commanded prior to the switch. Former Laikipia governor Nderitu Mureithi says that professionals could navigate their careers and politics without much hassle, and that it is mostly a matter of choice, and determination, for them. He is an economist who was available for consultation even as a county head, a role he could have ditched when he won his seat in 2017. It is not a piece of cake though, he posits, as political leadership could gobble up a dedicated leader's time, leaving little time for other engagements. He says that leadership "is a full-time engagement, or should be if well done". It is only those with very special resolve, or those who are cunning and can neglect some of their roles, who can hold both their careers and political leadership aloft.

No laughing matter as lawmakers shake off label of previous careers

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