The people of Kenya require a strong state government to sort out looming political and socioeconomic crises associated with weak or failed states. Kenya is facing systematic political-socio-economic challenges associated with a weak state government: constitutionalism, grand corruption, unsustainable public debts and inability to sustain implementation of government policies and stewardship of resources.
These are compromising the effective delivery of political goods. Damon Acemoglu explains that delivery of political goods becomes possible only when a reasonable measure of security has been sustained. According to criteria developed by Acemoglu, Kenya falls in the category of a weak state government, based on how effectively it is delivering political goods.
Political goods include but are not limited to providing personal human and territorial security; developing and reviewing codes and procedures that when put together constitute enforceable constitution and rule of law; protection of human rights, security of property and inviolable contracts.
They also include executive, legislative and judicial systems that are responsive to needs and accountable to the citizens, and sustain a set of values of good governance practices that legitimise and validate fair play, including free and fair election and appointment of public officials.
Kenya has been facing recurring tribal clashes, mainly before general elections, to influence voter turn-out, and post-election violence, caused by disputed poll results mainly due to lack of transparency in counting and transmitting of presidential votes.
To avoid drifting towards a failed state, Kenyans should take advantage of the 2022 general election to correct past wrongs and elect virtuous leaders to legitimately form a strong state government.
A strong state government has a strong rule of law, strong governance institutions, labour unions, independent think-tanks – including respected universities – and robust civil society. In a strong state government, political leaders should be strong and courageous to make tough decisions and implement stringent policies firmly in the face of criticism. But after public participation as required by the Constitution.
Therefore a strong state is not purely authoritarian or dictatorial. The goal is for a strong state government to initiate acceptable policies for supply and delivery of political goods; and influence legislative and judiciary arms of government to pass well-considered laws; and accurately interpret the letter and spirit of the Constitution and its operating laws.
There is no doubt that a strong state government managed by virtuous leadership, elected in a fair and transparent electoral system, would implement good governance practices that would deal firmly with deep-rooted corruption.
Since Independence, most of the elected leaders have treated the nation-state resources as if they belong to their households, relatives or constituency. Prof Francis Fukuyama termed the phenomenon Kenya is going through, neopatrimonialism.
In Sub-Saharan Africa states, Kenya included, this has arisen because of weak responsiveness and lack of accountability to the citizens; and weak or absence of powerful private sector and NGOs to actively influence enforcement of good governance practices and leadership and integrity standards.
In such an environment, public servants who are dominated or appointed, by elected leaders make money through grand corruption by acquiring political power or being supported by elected leaders on payment of protection rent. The consequences are a dysfunctional government.
It is perceived that the political sphere, which at Independent in 1963 was semi-stable and personalised client-list relationships, has become more transient and cynical: driven by money, less trust and negative ethnicity. Many Kenyans no longer vote for free and voters understand politics as an ethnic duel—a gladiatorial contest in which winning is more important than what the winner would actually do.
