By Isaac Dan Onyancha
“President Ruto’s thunderous reception in Mt. Kenya raises urgent questions about the performative nature of Kenyan politics, the gullibility of an economically burdened electorate, and the looming déjà vu of 2027.”
When President William Ruto toured Nyeri, Nyandarua, Murang’a, Embu and Meru recently, he was greeted by a sea of cheering crowds and a stage-managed atmosphere of euphoria.
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To the casual observer, it was a triumphant homecoming. But to the politically conscious, it was a stark reminder of the choreographed illusionism that defines much of Kenyan political culture.
The President’s entourage did not stumble upon spontaneous adoration. The cheering was not accidental. It followed deliberate planning, mobilisation, and financial investment to create a semblance of popular support.
In a country where optics often trump performance, such scenes are carefully curated to shape political narratives — not necessarily to reflect public sentiment.
Yet the irony is glaring. The same president being cheered has presided over one of the most economically taxing regimes in recent history.
His administration has become synonymous with corruption scandals, harsh tax regimes, and an elite-centered economic model that continues to choke the average Kenyan. From joblessness to skyrocketing prices, the reality is grim. But the cheers remain.
Why?
Because in Kenya, political loyalty is often a commodity, and poverty is weaponised for political ends. An oppressed and economically desperate population becomes fertile ground for manipulation. A token of appreciation, a day’s wage, or a convoy of shiny cars is enough to draw a crowd — even if those same crowds go back home to empty plates and unpaid school fees.
What we are seeing is not genuine support, but a performative allegiance bought at a high cost and sold to the public as political capital. Unfortunately, this sets the stage for a painful repetition in 2027. Unless the masses awaken to the reality that cheering for failed leadership is cheering for continued suffering, the cycle will go on — louder, costlier, and more damaging.
Mt. Kenya, the region that handed Ruto a significant share of the presidency in 2022, appears poised to repeat the same mistake — enamoured by proximity to power, but blind to the consequences of unaccountable leadership. It is a cautionary tale for the entire nation.
The solution lies in intensified civic education. We must build a politically literate electorate that can connect governance outcomes with electoral decisions. A society that values truth over theatrics and service over spectacle. That is the Kenya we must work towards.
The future will not be saved by cheers in a crowd, but by clarity in the voting booth.
-Isaac Dan Onyancha is a Leadership and Governance expert, Director of Civic Education and Public Participation in Nyamira County, and an award-winning playwright and commentator on Kenyan socio-political dynamics.
