By Morris Wambua

PHOTO CREDIT: BBC News

The Unseen Dangers of Tribal Loyalty

Kenyan politics, at its core, is driven by one powerful yet deeply problematic phrase: Mtu Wetu—Our Person.

It is a term that encapsulates a political culture where tribal loyalty trumps accountability, competence, and integrity. Leaders are not chosen based on their track record or policies, but on their ethnic identity.

Once elected, these leaders often disappear from the public eye, leaving behind unfulfilled promises, stalled development projects, and a trail of corruption scandals.

What initially appears as a simple display of tribal pride becomes a gateway to political mismanagement and a nation trapped in cycles of mediocrity.

As I write this, I weep for my beloved Nation. What often starts as ethnic pride soon transforms into a breeding ground for corruption, incompetence, and failed leadership.

While mwananchi remains disillusioned, deprived, and devastated, politicians nurse constipation in poshy estates, protected against their own people, with high perimeter walls and lethal fire power—the same people who voted for them on the basis of the nauseating mtu wetu ideology.

This article examines the devastating effects of Mtu Wetu politics and the toll it takes on the country.  

The Vanishing Act – Politicians Disappear After Elections

The rise to power in Kenyan politics is a spectacle of promises and pledges.

Candidates, especially those from the dominant ethnic group in a region, are celebrated with fanfare. They crisscross their constituencies, shaking hands, promising roads, schools, water, and healthcare.

Their campaign posters are everywhere, and their supporters chant their names with fervor but once the election dust settles, these same leaders seem to vanish.

Politicians elected under the Mtu Wetu banner often go silent after taking office. Their presence, once so visible, becomes a distant memory. Constituents find it impossible to reach their elected officials for even the most basic of needs.

The new roads, water systems, and schools they promised never materialize.

The grand speeches made during the campaign trail evaporate, and all that remains are the high walls surrounding the politician’s new mansion.

“He was one of us,” lament the constituents, who quickly realize that tribal loyalty has led them to elect a leader who is nowhere to be found when it comes to real governance.

Stalled Projects and Broken Promises

Election campaigns are often filled with grandiose promises.

Roads will be built, infrastructure will be upgraded, and essential services will be brought to every corner of the constituency.

However, once in office, the promises are rarely fulfilled.

In regions where Mtu Wetu politics reigns, development stagnates.

Projects that should take a few months to complete end up being delayed indefinitely, often never seeing the light of day.

Construction projects initiated during the election period stand abandoned—half-built schools, incomplete roads, and empty health centers serve as grim reminders of the promises that were made but never kept.

In rural areas, the effects are felt even more acutely.

Farmers are left without proper irrigation systems, healthcare is inaccessible, and children are forced to walk miles to the nearest school.

The very people who voted their tribal representatives into power are the ones who suffer the most when those leaders fail to deliver.

“It’s not that they can’t do it,” one community elder notes, “it’s that they choose not to.” And why should they, when they know they will likely be re-elected, no matter their performance, as long as they maintain their tribal affiliations?

Mega Corruption Scandals and the Abuse of Public Funds

Perhaps the most damaging effect of Mtu Wetu politics is the rampant corruption that follows the election of tribal leaders.

Once in power, many politicians use their office to enrich themselves and their close associates, siphoning public funds meant for development projects.

Transparency and accountability are often sidelined, as voters are more concerned with defending "their person" than holding them accountable.

Mega corruption scandals have become a common feature in Kenya’s political landscape.

Whether it’s money earmarked for hospitals, schools, or roads, there is always a new headline revealing the theft of billions.

These funds disappear into the pockets of politicians and their allies, while the citizens who elected them are left with little to show for their votes.

One particularly infamous case involved a high-profile leader who was alleged to have misappropriated funds meant for constructing dams in an arid region.

What should have been a lifeline for struggling farmers and families turned into a financial scandal.

Yet, when questioned, the politician’s supporters defended him vehemently, repeating the familiar
refrain: “He’s one of us.”

Tribal loyalty, once again, overshadowed accountability.

Mismanagement and Dysfunctional Public Services

With corruption and cronyism rampant, public services in Kenya often become dysfunctional.

In regions where Mtu Wetu politics dominates, essential services such as healthcare, education, and water management are severely underfunded or mismanaged.

Hospitals remain under-equipped, teachers go unpaid, and water projects fail to reach completion. There are even fake schools, with billboards, and signages pointing to bushes—"institutions" that receive capitation.

Many rural health centers lack basic medical supplies, and patients often have to travel long distances to seek treatment. Education, another critical pillar of development, suffers greatly, with schools operating without enough teachers, learning materials, or infrastructure.

In constituencies where ethnic politics drives decision-making, local government institutions are typically filled with the politician's cronies, not based on merit but on tribal affiliation.

This nepotism further hinders progress, as unqualified individuals take over key positions.

The result is widespread inefficiency, with citizens bearing the brunt of poor services.

The Betrayal of the Youth and Future Generations

PHOTO CREDIT: Capital News

The effects of Mtu Wetu politics are most tragically felt by Kenya’s youth, who make up the majority of the population.

Promises of job creation and economic development are regularly made to young people during election campaigns, yet these promises are almost never fulfilled.

Unemployment remains high, and the opportunities that should arise from a strong and transparent leadership simply do not materialize.

Many young people, disillusioned by the endless cycle of false promises and corruption, choose to leave their home regions or even the country in search of better opportunities.

The youth are the people who feel the pinch of studying hard in school, graduating, and being ushered into a dysfunctional job market, eventually having to take visas just to go and drive trucks, or work as nannies in foreign countries.

They are the generation that has grown up watching politicians come and go, all making the same empty pledges, and delivering nothing.

For those who stay, the future seems bleak.

They are faced with an economy that has been stripped of its resources, a government that prioritizes tribal loyalties over competence, propaganda over performance, and a political system that discourages genuine participation.

Instead of benefiting from policies that could empower them, the youth remain marginalized, their potential stifled by leaders who care more about enriching themselves than building a brighter future.

This is the tragedy of mtu wetu politics, a concept that's nauseating for anyone who has not decimated their brains, or sacrificed their conscience on the evil altar of the gods of tokenism.

Ethnic Tensions and Division – A Nation Divided

Tribalism is a construct of the political class. It is the medium that incubates mediocrity, and facilitates the relevance of tribal bigots whose only wit lie in dishing out propaganda—entrenching the "we versus them" mentality. Murima isiguzwe!

By rallying their communities around tribal identity, politicians pit different ethnic groups against each other, fostering division and mistrust.

What should be a unifying national election process turns into a battle of tribes, with each group more concerned about securing power for their own than about electing a leader who will govern for the good of all Kenyans.

This tribal polarization not only fractures the political landscape but also affects social cohesion.

Distrust between different ethnic groups leads to a weakening of the social fabric, making it harder for communities to work together for common development goals.

Every election cycle renews these tensions, further entrenching the divisions that have plagued Kenya for decades.

The dangerous consequences of this are clear.

Political violence, as witnessed in the past, is often sparked by these deep-seated ethnic divisions.

Politicians, aware of the volatile nature of tribal loyalties, exploit them for political gain, knowing full well the harm it causes to national unity.

Media’s Role in Exposing the Tragic Reality

The Kenyan media has played an essential role in exposing the failures of tribal politics.

News outlets regularly report on corruption scandals, unfulfilled promises, and the deteriorating state of public services.

Yet, the media also faces significant challenges in holding politicians accountable, especially when tribal loyalty shields these leaders from scrutiny.

Despite these challenges, the media continues to shine a light on the tragic reality of Mtu Wetu politics.

However, the media seems complicit in the grand scheme to keep the country polarized, through partisan practices. Political inclinations of the various media houses are clear, and this compromises objectivity, turning what should be reliable sources of information to mere propaganda machineries.

Investigative journalists who should uncover the stories behind stalled projects, misappropriated funds, and the systemic failures caused by ethnic-based governance remain complacent, and their performance on this metric is underwhelming.

Promoting a culture of accountability is critical, as it keeps the public informed and helps push for greater transparency in government.

The Urgent Need for Political Change

The consequences of Mtu Wetu politics are not just a passing inconvenience—they represent a serious threat to Kenya's future.

Tribal loyalty has led to the election of corrupt, incompetent leaders who disappear once in office, leaving the country with stalled development projects, crippled public services, and deepened ethnic divisions.

The silent suffering of millions of Kenyans continues while their leaders profit from the very systems meant to uplift them.

It’s time for Kenyans to demand better.

Political change is possible, but it requires a rejection of the tribal mentality that has held the country back for so long.

Instead of voting for Mtu Wetu, citizens must start voting for leaders who have the vision, competence, and integrity to truly lead Kenya toward a brighter future.

The next election is an opportunity to break the cycle of failure and corruption.

It’s a chance to elect leaders based on merit and vision, rather than tribal affiliation.

Only by doing so can Kenya break free from the tragic consequences of Mtu Wetu politics and chart a new path forward.

Kenya istahili heshima!