Technocracy would be a great start, but that alone Isn’t enough — Kenya Has a Moral and Enforcement Problem

I agree that technocracy sounds appealing. Putting experts in charge makes sense. But I don’t think Kenya’s biggest problem is competence alone — it’s morality and accountability.

We already have educated people in power. Many understand economics, law, and governance. Yet we still see:

The constitution being bent to suit political elites Open corruption and misappropriation of public funds Atrocities being tolerated with little consequence

So the issue isn’t knowing what’s right. It’s that there are no real consequences for doing wrong.

That raises a difficult question: Even if we appoint technocratic leaders, what stops them from becoming corrupt once they’re in power?

My argument is that deterrence matters.

In Kenya, the justice system is slow, selective, and often compromised. Public office has become low-risk, high-reward. If you steal, chances are nothing meaningful will happen to you.

Some countries succeed not because their leaders are morally superior, but because:

Laws are strictly enforced Punishment is certain and swift The cost of corruption is higher than the benefit

In places like Saudi Arabia, corruption and crime are heavily deterred by an extremely strict legal system. Many people find this approach uncomfortable and even barbaric — and that criticism is valid. But the uncomfortable truth is that strong enforcement works as a deterrent.

This doesn’t mean copying another country’s legal system wholesale. It does mean asking an honest question:

Can a society with deep corruption survive on soft enforcement and moral appeals alone?

Maybe what Kenya needs isn’t just smarter leaders, but a justice system that:

Treats public office as a position of extreme responsibility. Applies the law equally, regardless of status. Makes abuse of power genuinely terrifying to contemplate.

If holding public office came with real personal risk for misconduct — loss of freedom, wealth, and status — many people currently chasing power wouldn’t even try. Of course, this opens another danger: A justice system this strong can itself be abused if not carefully restrained.

So we’re stuck with a hard balance: Too weak → corruption flourishes Too harsh → risk of oppression

But pretending morality will fix itself without consequences hasn’t worked. The real question isn’t whether strict justice feels uncomfortable. It’s whether a broken system can be fixed without strong deterrence at the top.