For Ruto's regime to succeed, it must first cultivate public trust

Can politicians be trusted? Can we trust the reconstituted Cabinet? Can we trust Kenya Kwanza after running the Gen Z out of town?

To many people, there is no doubt that politicians cannot be trusted. They lie, cheat systems, manipulate people, and become very difficult to meet once elected. They are corrupt. They do not care about improving the lives of their electorates. The list goes on.

To a few people, some politicians can be trusted. There are always exceptions. Not all politicians lie, seek opportunities to enrich themselves, or become impossible to meet once elected.

Not all politicians are corrupt. Some politicians mean well to their people. Although this category is a fraction, it bears hope that given the right conditions, politicians can focus on doing what is right for citizens and thereby earn trust not just from their constituencies but also from all citizens. 

What do we do in the meantime with the majority who cannot be trusted? They have more impact on our lives since they make all the important government decisions.

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A country cannot run without politicians. There can never be a power vacuum. Someone must be in a political leadership position to ensure protection and justice for citizens. Kenya cannot run without a government. There must be one at any time.

Our experience of African elected leaders does not inspire public trust.

Years back, not sure when and how, someone poisoned many African leaders with a Machiavellian virus that political morality and ethics mean nothing. That doing good must be in the interest of the leader. That power must be exercised by the leader and for the leader.

That everyone else near and far from the leader must depend on the centre for a living. Examples from across the continent undermine trust as a principle of leadership. We look at the deposed Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire (now DRC) who ran down his country as an example.

Legally, you cannot trust a politician. That is why there are many laws for accountability. Government leaders have a code of Public Service Ethics as well as accountability and transparency institutions to ensure they operate within the law. On their own, they will go astray. The law does not presuppose trust in an individual.

Can we trust the Kenya Kwanza government to deliver after the chaos of the past months? Much as we do not like to throw in political morality as a success factor for a political regime, I just don’t see how the government can come out of the fix it contributed to place itself.

For political morality and ethics to work in Kenya, first we should not see politicians as ATMs.

A lot of the harambees and contributions made by politicians are nothing but a means of meeting public expectations.

If we stopped inviting politicians to fundraising of all sorts, they would start to focus on doing the right thing.

We should be ashamed of ourselves whenever we seek favours that amount to corruption. Remember, one definition of corruption is defined as an inducement to wrong by improper and unlawful means.

Second, the Kenya Kwanza government has to start doing the right thing: serve the people. Seize the chaotic moments of the past months to reflect and act justly.

Put the perceived enemies of the government to shame through impeccable accountability of public resources. Let them see that the regime is truly human and values every single life of its citizens.

Third, the reconstituted Cabinet must not forget government failures in the past two years. It should pick valuable lessons and spend energy on building public trust.

Above, the new government faces should lead the rest of government officials to be closer to the people. No government can successfully run without building public trust.

Great leaders like Mwalimu Nyerere and Nelson Mandela transcended law and political mistrust to become trustworthy. They focused on doing right.

They put their political power into the service of their people. They laid the foundations for citizens to sing one song, one national song, and embrace one identity.