Former Kenya Tourism Board chairperson, Mohamed Hersi, has delivered a stark warning to young Kenyans, urging them to reflect on their voting patterns as the country approaches its next elections.
Hersi argued that despite the promise of generational change, most young voters continue to mirror the ethnic loyalties of their parents.
“Gen Zs are as tribal as their parents,” he said, noting that 90 percent of Kenya’s elections are effectively ethnic censuses.
Highlighting the Kikuyu-Kalenjin rivalry, Hersi questioned whether life has improved for communities simply because “one of your own occupied the House on the Hill.”
Looking back at the 2002 elections, Hersi described that period as the closest Kenya came to genuine nationhood.
However, he criticized former President Mwai Kibaki for allegedly abandoning the allies who had fought alongside him.
“We were unbowgable in 2002, only for Kibaki to go back to his buddies,” he said.
Hersi also addressed the 2022 elections, where the “hustler narrative” captured public imagination, but political unity quickly dissolved.
He highlighted the Iko Kadi platform as a reflection of public engagement, where those not at the “high table” try to influence outcomes from the sidelines.
“If you are not on the high table, you board the Iko Kadi noise and hope to win,” he explained.
On political patronage, Hersi warned that many aspirants continue to rely on the backing of regional or “tribal kingpins” to secure nominations.
“Folks are all trying to hang on the tailcoats of so-called regional leaders to get direct nomination,” he said, underscoring how entrenched ethnic politics remain.
Despite Kenya’s evolving political landscape, Hersi cautioned that real change remains elusive.
“Well, in Kenya, the more things change, the more they remain the same,” he said, urging all voters, especially the youth, to register and make informed choices.
He concluded with a pointed reminder to young voters: “90% of Gen Zs are cut from the same cloth as their parents. Ni hayo tu.”
Hersi’s comments serve as a call for Kenyans to prioritize issue-based leadership over ethnic loyalty as the nation heads toward another critical election cycle.