It is time to try soft power and a circus-free leadership for capital

Senate

Senators debate the motion on the impeachment of then-Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko in the Senate on December 17. It was passed.

Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Circus-type politicking must never be allowed again in Nairobi.
  • What our capital city needs is sober leadership devoid of needless drama and endless vanity shows. 

It says something about how the male-dominated political elite in metropolitan Nairobi wants the city county to be administered when names like those floated in the media recently are bandied about by power brokers as potential governor candidates to fill the vacancy left by the impeachment of the egregious Mike Sonko. 

It seems that these godfathers prefer the status quo — where men run the show; where well-connected politicians, ‘tenderpreneurs’ and civil servants have the inside track for contracts to supply goods and services to the city to the detriment of women and other marginalised groups; where bribery and kickbacks are the order of the day; and where law enforcement is virtually non-existent.

With a by-election looming, city bigwigs are eager to impose a candidate on the electorate, hence on course to repeat the mistakes of the past two elections. And boy, do they drop these names with straight faces!

A failed former governor with primitive ideas about women. A former MP who is as inspiring as a cold July night. How would one disappoint voters elsewhere but be good for Nairobi?

We haven’t learnt much from our past failures. Let’s be honest with one another. We need to recognise that we have a debilitating cultural affliction; we value personality over ability.

Universal, admirable qualities like people skills, good judgement, integrity, firm decision-making and diplomacy don’t count but cultural, community or regional affinity. 

Public officers who quit or are sacked for corruption, indolence or incompetence go on to become successful politicians in areas where they are enthusiastically welcomed back as wronged sons and daughters.

An unsavoury reputation elsewhere appears to become an asset for them when they are among their own. What is seen as ‘bad press’ or notoriety ends up paying off handsomely.

But that should not be the case. With the welcome departure of Sonko, we now have less than 60 days to find his right replacement, who will govern in a revolutionary new way in Nairobi, which, unfortunately, is screaming to the world that it doesn’t want to be a world-class city despite noble declarations to the contrary by its leaders. 

New kind of leader

Look around: Crime, dilapidated streets, non-functioning traffic lights, uncollected garbage, water shortages, chaotic streets ruled by rogue matatu operators who bribe police officers to continue breaking the law...

These are serious challenges. Yet they are not insurmountable. This is an opportunity for a new kind of leader, a firm decision-maker who cannot be intimidated by the shady business and political networks that have ruled the city from behind the scenes for decades.

Two men have tried and failed. I’m making a case for a woman to be the next governor of Nairobi, for several reasons.

Experts say that women are good listeners. A woman is unlikely to react impulsively to situations and will value diverse viewpoints. She will also cultivate teamwork and be less authoritarian, rather than seeking to be the sole decision-maker.

Women are also strong communicators. Open and clear communication with partners and other stakeholders eliminates ambiguity in executing duties.

But not just any woman — not one who flip-flops from one political formation to another to increase her political mileage, and who has a penchant for manipulating voters. 

Nairobi is the nerve centre of both Kenya and the greater Eastern African region. What it needs is a structured leadership offered by a person who respects the rule of law and decorous management of a team comprising competent officers.

Circus-type politicking must never be allowed again in Nairobi. What our capital city needs is sober leadership devoid of needless drama and endless vanity shows. 

We have a chance to change Nairobi and, if that change agent be a woman, why not? 

To be sure, the ideal leader, male or female, should be impeccable — not a rabble rouser, religious hypocrite or product of deal-making.

Mr Sigei is a communication specialist. [email protected].