Building an Utu-Led Nation: A New Path for Kenya

Kenya is at a crossroads. In recent months, we have witnessed monumental political and economic challenges that reflect not just a national crisis, but a global trend of leadership failing to grasp the needs of their people. From the privatization of key sectors through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to the regrouping of Kenyan politicians to maintain power after the June #GenZ protests to abductions, extrajudicial disappearances and killings, it’s evident that our current system prioritizes profit over people. Kenya’s political elite have settled on the same old solutions, ones that benefit a select few while offering little in terms of genuine national development. Applying bandaid political solutions to festering economic challenges.

In this very moment, however, there lies an opportunity—an opportunity to ask fundamental questions about the type of country we want to live in, the kind of leadership we need to achieve that country, the values that should guide our governance, and the essential services that all citizens in that country deserve. What is the “Kenyan Dream”?

In the face of a failing political  and governance landscape, Utu Philosophy offers a way forward, emphasizing human dignity, empathy, compassion, and collective well-being as the pillars of our societal development.

Utu Philosophy as the Foundation for Leadership in Kenya

Utu, a Swahili term embodying the principles of humanity, interconnectedness, and mutual care, is not just a philosophy but a framework for rethinking leadership in Kenya. As a country attempting to be a nation, we have witnessed the consequences of a leadership model drive primarily by the self-interest of the elites and resultant crony capitalism. This has resulted in systemic and endemic corruption, rampant inequality, and a total disconnect between citizens and their leaders.

Utu based leadership would prioritize the collective good and the sypremacy of the people

Leadership in an Utu-led nation, however, would be transformative. Instead of the transactional politics and extractive policies that have influenced and characterized Kenya’s governance since before independence, Utu based leadership would prioritize the collective good and the sypremacy of the people. Leaders would be seen as stewards of the people, entrusted to serve with integrity and guided by the principle of compassion. The focus would shift from short-term gains for a few to long-term prosperity for all, especially the most vulnerable in society.

Citizen/Public Participation: A Cornerstone of Utu Governance

An Utu-led nation would recognize that true leadership cannot exist in isolation from its people. Citizens must be active participants in their own governance. Kenya’s Constitution 2010 centers Public Participation at the heart of governance. Despite this, over the years the Kenya’s political system has systematically disempowered citizens, reducing their role to that of passive observers who are only “consulted” to rubber-stamp the decisions of the political elites and their puppet masters. Decisions that few understand and which eventually end up burdening the same citizens. An Utu based leadership calls for a radical shift: where citizens must be active co-creators of their destiny.

For Kenya to overcome the current political impasse, the People need to reclaim their voice and their power. This means engaging actively not just during electoral cycles but during every step of the governance process. Local/village assemblies, community dialogues, and climate and other barazas must serve as forums where The People deliberate on issues affecting their lives and propose solutions rooted in their lived experiences. Governance cannot and should not be something done to the people, but something done with The People.

Rethinking Public Services through from an Utu Perspective

The Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) currently being pushed and rushed through by the government in Kenya are a prime example of how leadership continues to prioritize profit over the public good. From privatisation of JKIA, to public healthcare provision to electricity transmission, these partnerships are designed to serve the interests of a wealthy few politicians, leaving the ordinary citizens they claim to represent to bear the brunt of these privatized services and their costs for decades to come.

In an Utu-led nation, the provision of public services would be guided by the principle of ensuring dignity for all. Healthcare, education, public transport, electricity and other basic infrastructure would be recognized as fundamental rights, as public goods, not commodities. Utu demands that services be designed to meet the needs of The People, all of them, and especially those marginalized by the current system.

Take, for instance, the ongoing healthcare crisis. Under a PPP model, access to quality healthcare becomes contingent on one’s ability to pay, determined by the profits the private investor intends to make, in the process exacerbating existing inequalities. An Utu-based approach would focus on universal healthcare, ensuring that no one is left behind. This is not a utopian ideal but a necessary shift if we are to build a nation that cares for and dignifies all its citizens.

A Values System for the Future

At the heart of the Utu Philosophy is a values system that is urgently needed to disinfect the Kenyan political landscape. Utu Philosophy emphasizes dignity, compassion, justice, and mutual respect. It calls for a leadership that is transparent, accountable, and deeply committed to stewarding the well-being of the people it serves.

As we look to the future post #GenZ Protests, it is crucial that we anchor our governance in these values. The current political elite have failed to rise to the occasion, but that does not mean that all is lost. It is actually an opportunity. By adopting Utu as the foundation of our leadership and governance going forward, a new leadership should emerge that can oversee the building of a Kenya that works for everyone—a Kenya where political power is not an end in itself, but a means to uplift the lives of all citizens.

A Call to Action

This moment we’re in is an opportunity that requires us to rethink everything we know about leadership, governance and nation building. Kenya has the opportunity to reset and to chart a new path, one guided by the Utu Philosophy, where citizens are actively involved in shaping their future and where public services are designed to serve and dignify everyone, not just a privileged few.

The challenges we face are immense, but the solutions are within reach. If we embrace Utu, we can build a nation that is more just, more caring, more dignifying, more compassionate, and more resilient. It is time for Kenya to lead with humanity and not profit at the centre, with human dignity as the foundation upon which we birth a new nation.

#BuildingAnUtuNation

#UtuNaUzalendoKE
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