OPINION: We should use our voices strongly to hold leaders accountable

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga over the weekend broke his long silence and opened a scathing attack on President William Ruto’s administration.

The ODM leader criticised the Cabinet secretaries for failed leadership in their different dockets, including the Ministry of Education, Agriculture, and Interior.

His attack followed incidents of confusion in the reopening of schools for the second term, the fertiliser scandal, and the lack of proper plans for dealing with the floods that have caused the deaths of hundreds of Kenyans.

Odinga’s sentiments immediately gave life to his lieutenants, who said, “If the plan was to give Raila the AU chairmanship as a tactic, then Ruto should think again.” This meant that Raila would remain the opposition leader even if he won the AU seat, which President Ruto has been seen advocating for.

Raila was silent for about a month while he "concentrated" on gaining support for his AU candidature. His silence was felt, prompting several Kenyans to encourage him to speak out on what was happening in the country.

In the better part of last week, a write-up was doing rounds on social media asking Raila to speak up on various issues. It said that if he goes to the AU, no one will speak on behalf of Kenyans.

Let us pause right here and have a real chat.

For how long will Kenyans continue to rely on Raila to make their opinions heard? At his age, we must understand that Raila can only serve as an advisor; the real action requires Kenyans to stand up and speak for themselves.

This implies we must fix ourselves, beginning with the election process, and elect leaders who will not torture us or neglect their responsibilities.

We have been overly reliant on Raila for far too long. He's helped us far too many times. I don't want to appear political, but this is the unfortunate reality. We often make blunders and then wait for Raila to come to our rescue.

We, too, have a responsibility to ensure we keep the government of the day in check. This should be done, by posting on the X platform and coming out physically when necessary.

As Kenyans, we must recognise that the responsibility for our future does not rest on the shoulders of a single individual. We need to empower ourselves and correct our course, starting from the grassroots right at the voting booth.

Electing leaders should be based on their accountability, transparency, and commitment to service, rather than their political lineage or charisma.

We are at a pivotal moment where we must demand more from those, we elect to represent us. This starts with civic education, encouraging a well-informed electorate that understands their rights and their voting power.

We must foster a culture where leaders are continuously held accountable, during election cycles and throughout their tenure.

Let us encourage more young people to step forward and take up leadership roles. It is time for new ideas and energy to steer our beloved country towards prosperity and justice for all. Let's support and cultivate leadership that not only dreams of a better Kenya but actively works towards it.

Our collective voice is powerful and it is high time it echoed through the halls of power with renewed vigour and diversity.

Let us make this shift together, nurturing a governance culture that will propel our nation forward for future generations.

The writer is a Mombasa-based communication and marketing expert.

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