Media outlets and social media have been awash with debate this past week on the kind of leadership that those seeking the presidency plan to offer.
Each of the contenders for the top seat has come up with a manifesto on which they plan to base their leadership.
This is a common practice in Kenya: Ahead of a general election, politicians come up with blueprints and slogans that they hope will endear them to voters.
Manifestos are good as they give the voters a picture of the ideals the political parties and their leaders stand for.
Leaders right from the ward to the national level should have manifestos that should act as a beacon for the deliverables they set out to achieve during their term in office.
In developed democracies, manifestos are taken seriously and failure to deliver on their contents is a sure way out of office come the elections.
Unfortunately in Kenya, manifestos are just lofty ideas put on paper ahead of elections but never actualised by those who win the polls.
They are well penned and marketed as the magic wand that will overnight change the fortunes of millions of struggling Kenyans.
Some of those making promises have been in leadership for years and held high offices but their contribution towards Kenya's economic progress is negligible.
What Kenya needs is servant leadership where those who seek public offices go into them with the conviction that indeed they want to serve and not for self-aggrandisement.
Until this happens, not even the best of manifestos will bring change to the country.
Quote of the Day: "It's not just in politics that you can be a servant of the people, you can do it in so many other ways."
Corazon Aquino
The 11th President of the Philippines died on August 1, 2009
