Failure to involve intellectuals in decision making is hurting Kenya

Parliament Buildings in Nairobi. Members of Parliament have been accused of poor quality debates. [File, Standard]

Kenya’s political landscape is too important to be driven by shallow political discourse. Politics affects every aspect of our lives, from education and healthcare to infrastructure and national security. Despite the significance of political decisions, our discourse remains superficial. It is time we ask ourselves: Why isn’t intellectual knowledge playing a more prominent role in shaping Kenya’s governance?

The central argument is simple—political decision-making in Kenya must be rooted in intellectual rigour if we are to craft policies that address our unique challenges. The lack of well-reasoned, informed discussions in Parliament, county assemblies, and the media has produced weak and disjointed policies at both the national and county levels. Policies are often cobbled together in response to political convenience rather than being developed from solid, intellectually driven frameworks leaving Kenya trapped in a cycle of poorly designed governance.

Kenya is blessed with highly educated individuals—academics, experts, and public intellectuals capable of competing globally. Yet, their insights are not sufficiently represented in political spaces where their input is most needed. If Kenya’s academia were engaged more systematically, we could base policy decisions on research and evidence. However, political actors frequently dismiss these voices, preferring quick fixes and politically expedient solutions, which limits Kenya’s potential for meaningful progress.

A major issue is the poor quality of debates in Parliament and county assemblies. Rather than discussing legislation with intellectual depth, political debates often descend into mudslinging and personal attacks. Even when intellectually sound and qualified MPs and MCAs attempt to contribute thoughtfully, they are frequently drowned out by disinformation and shallow arguments, resulting in poorly conceived policies that fail to deliver tangible results.

Take, for instance, the issue of bench-marking trips—a popular political pastime where elected officials travel abroad to learn best practices from other nations. The intent behind these trips is sound, but in the absence of intellectual capital to critically analyse what is observed, these excursions become empty rituals. Political leaders return home with vague ideas, unable to translate foreign experiences into practical solutions for Kenya’s specific needs.

Kenya cannot govern itself on common sense alone, nor can political schemes sustain the nation’s development. The complexity of our challenges requires informed debate and thoughtful policy-making. This intellectual deficit is apparent in key areas like education, healthcare, and economic reform, where policies are rolled out with limited understanding of their long-term impacts.

Socrates famously argued that philosophers, those who reason well, should govern. In Kenya’s context, this means we need to value thoughtful, informed debate over political grandstanding. The absence of intellectual frameworks in our political system has produced ambiguous policies that neither inspire confidence nor solve Kenya’s most pressing problems.

Political discourse in Kenya is not only shallow, but it is also becoming more toxic. Politicians increasingly rely on populist tactics and personal attacks rather than engaging in substantive debate. Intellectuals who offer evidence-based solutions are often marginalised or ignored. Rather than fostering a culture of informed discussion, Kenya’s political environment discourages intellectual contributions, pushing away those who could help guide the country toward better governance.

Reclaiming Kenya’s political discourse is not just an option—it is an urgent necessity. We have to integrate intellectual knowledge into governance if we are to formulate policies that foster transformative development. Universities, research institutions, and public intellectuals have a major role to play in our national conversations. Academics should not only be consulted as an afterthought but should play a direct role in shaping policies from the start.

Therefore, intellectualising Kenya’s political discourse is about protecting the nation from the dangers of uninformed governance. If we continue to sideline our intellectual capital, we will remain stuck with ineffective policies that fail to address the people’s real needs.

Furthermore, the government needs to invest in processes that encourage evidence-based decision-making and informed political debate. We pay dearly to run our education system because we need intellectuals to inform the development agenda.

Dr Mokua is the executive director of Loyola Centre for Media and Communication