By In Kenya, the word “cousins” has been widely used, especially in political conversations, but to me, this word has no real weight. Kenyans naturally love to make fun of everything—that’s our identity. Africa is a land rich in traditions and culture, and we express that through our unique ways of life: traditional circumcisions, colorful weddings, sacred burials, and vibrant ceremonies. Above all, Africa is a land of happiness, and Kenyans love to be joyful—that’s what always trends.
However, politically speaking, it’s our leaders who invite mockery. The way they present themselves and the promises they make often turn into jokes among the people. Kenyan politicians have a habit of splitting their personalities—what they say on the campaign trail is not what they do in office. That’s why people gave the president the nickname “Kasongo,” likely because he didn’t deliver as expected. Kenyans don’t hold back; they’ll call out leaders publicly when promises fail. Still, our politicians should be more careful and ready to rebuild their image because our political culture is shifting.
Sadly, the youth are slowly abandoning their traditional values and getting deeply absorbed in political games. A tragic example was when a teenage boy lost his life over political rumors—a situation that could have been avoided if our young people were more focused on building themselves instead of being misused by politics.
Now, we have this rising “Gen Z” movement, with tech-savvy youth who can access political secrets, hack systems, and even sell sensitive information about politicians. This creates insecurity, mistrust, and social instability. It’s pushing us closer to internal conflicts and divides communities along political lines.
Political rallies today expose these divisions clearly. For example, some Kikuyu youth are openly rejecting the Ruto-Rigathi alliance, causing political tensions and tribal disagreements across the nation. Kenya’s image has suffered in recent years because politicians now focus more on staying in power than fulfilling their campaign promises.
Every five years, Kenyans fall for sweet populist manifestos, hoping for change, but disappointment follows again and again. As a nation, we must ask: when will we break this cycle?
