Hand-picking leaders bodes ill for democracy

The lightning speed with which Anne Kananu Mwenda was vetted, approved and sworn in as Nairobi’s deputy governor did not mask the manoeuvres by the State to take over the city’s administration. 

Her ascension to that position is part of a wider strategy to manage transition and install a governor without an election. 

Since last month’s ouster of disgraced governor Mike Sonko, there were signals that the establishment wanted to manage City Hall. And nobody wanted a by-election, which would be fraught with political scheming, ethnic mobilisation and dubious underhand dealings. 

Not surprisingly, influential political parties such as Jubilee and ODM were reluctant to sponsor candidates for the job.

Undermine democracy

Such schemes undermine democracy and the principle of devolution. Legal loopholes are being exploited to serve the interests of the power-wielders. With this, a precedent has been set and there is no knowing the lengths to which such antics would be applied to the detriment of the voters.

For the Jubilee administration, the charade has gone full cycle. Sonko had been projected to take over Nairobi’s governorship on the basis of his grassroot support among the city’s poor. Ironically, even the best of brains went ahead to vote for him because of party affiliations. He returned the favour in kind; brought the city to its knees. 

The circus at City Hall should provide vital lessons to the political players; never again should we gamble with the leadership of key institutions. Nairobi deserves better leadership, not ill-equipped handpicked fellows, whose job is to rubberstamp decisions made elsewhere.