Lawyer Danstan Omari: Why Kenyan Voters Keep Choosing the Wrong Leaders”
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Renowned lawyer and political analyst Danstan Omari has criticized Kenyan voters for making electoral decisions based on emotions, ethnicity, and short-term incentives rather than leadership competency and development policies.
Speaking on Spice Radio, Omari argued that many voters disregard critical thinking and instead prioritize financial handouts during elections. “A voter ID minus thinking capacity leads to decisions based on ethnicity rather than development,” he said. “People don’t analyze manifestos; they only see the KSh 50 or KSh 1,000 given to them.”
Omari noted that Kenyans tend to support leaders with the most deceptive and emotionally appealing manifestos rather than questioning the feasibility of their promises.
“We never ask: What is the source of funding for these pledges?” he said, comparing the trend to voter behavior in the United States, where he claimed emotions played a role in electing former President Donald Trump.
He also highlighted that voters do not necessarily cast their ballots based on gender, contrary to what some may assume. “If gender was the primary deciding factor, we would have more women elected into leadership positions, but that is not the case,” he pointed out, reinforcing that other influences like tribalism and handouts often take precedence over merit.
Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, Omari predicted that elite voters and Gen Z would have more influence, but he remained skeptical about a significant shift in overall voter behavior. “The majority still vote emotionally and tribally,” he remarked.
Omari also criticized the electorate for repeatedly electing incompetent leaders. “We always say, ‘If we don’t elect this person, we will commit suicide.’ Then the leader says, ‘Fine, don’t commit suicide, give me the job,’ but they are incompetent,” he said.
Comparing it to assigning a child a professor’s job and expecting excellent results, he argued that voting for mediocrity leads to poor governance and failed expectations.
Omari emphasized the importance of the vote as a tool that can either free citizens or condemn them to five years of suffering. He urged Kenyans to rethink how they use their votes. “Until we train people to use this simple weapon wisely, we will remain trapped in a cycle of poor governance.”
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