Why young people want a tough leader to take over after Ruto

What is the allure of the benevolent dictator? As the country prematurely gears up for the 2027 elections, several names have been fronted as ideal candidates to run against the incumbent President William Ruto. Some popular names so far have been Fred Matiang’i, retired Chief Justice David Maraga, Senator Okiya Omtatah and, more recently thanks to his track record in Murang’a, Governor Irungu Kang’ata. Indeed, the buzz behind some of these names has resulted in the Jubilee Party picking Dr Matiang’i as their presidential candidate.

Omtatah, on his part, has put together a Presidential Intelligence Committee that has been travelling across the country to understand what the people want and whether he would be an acceptable presidential candidate for them. Whilst several reasons have been given for the fronting of these names, there seems to be a running thread amongst these men: All are viewed as being capable of delivering on their promises and cracking the whip on those who stand in their way, not least because of their conservative ideology.

Mr Omtatah is perhaps the most popular of the lot, particularly amongst the youth. Over the years, he has proven himself to be a true patriot, challenging those who go against the Constitution. Mr Kang’ata, too, seems to be doing excellent work in Murang’a, or at least a lot more work than most other governors. Both public representatives have made clear their conservative views, declaring through speech and writing that their work is grounded in their faith. Matiangi and Justice Maraga, too, are viewed as being conservative, with Matiang'i in particular being viewed by many as the return of the late John Michuki, a no-nonsense leader who achieved what he set out to do, sometimes through brute force.

Does this conservatism and perceived authoritarian nature make for the good leadership that Kenyans so desperately need? Many often look to people like President Paul Kagame to explain why a benevolent dictatorship is the best bet for a country rising from the ashes. Mr Kagame took up leadership of Rwanda at the end of a genocide, and has since then worked to restructure it, with excellent results.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines also inspired hope in many, with his hardline stance on crime, particularly drug trafficking. For Duterte, extrajudicial killing was an apt way of showing that he was tough on crime and, in the eyes of Filipinos as well as the larger world, this was a reasonable approach.

A country that has been brought to its knees by corruption, poor leadership and weak institutions will view democracy as being a failed project, and seek a leader who will get things done by any means necessary. Kenya is certainly getting to this point. As well, patriotism goes hand in hand with conservative values.

There might be a feeling that the influence of the West has caused more harm than good and that the country needs to close in on itself and preserve its culture and beliefs. This is certainly being witnessed in the United States and much of Europe where fascism is slowly taking root, and the citizenry are happy to do away with liberal social policies in favour of more conservative ones.

It is also worth considering that the youth, particularly Gen Z, have been found to be more conservative than the generations before them. Compared to generations X and Y, Gen Z are going to church more, and Gen Z men are holding more conservative views, particularly on the roles of men and women. This would explain why the leaders that they admire are conservative men who are viewed as being able to bring order back into society. It would also explain why no women are being fronted as being ideal candidates. If the question was one of competence, Gladys Wanga, who has consistently produced stellar results in Homa Bay, would also be considered a worthy candidate.

Whether the idea of a benevolent dictator is good or not depends on where one sits on the conservatism scale. For the upcoming youth of tomorrow, a tough leader seems to be a good choice. For those seeking social and political freedoms, however, there may be need to consider other options.

Ms Gitahi is an international lawyer.