Samchi Group Chief Executive Officer Dr. Esther Muchemi has called on Kenyans to reflect deeply on the criteria they use when choosing leaders, urging the public to prioritise competence, integrity, and service delivery over populist rhetoric and superficial appeal.

In an evening reflection shared this week, Dr. Muchemi expressed concern over the growing trivialisation of leadership, warning that public discourse increasingly reduces serious leadership evaluation to humour and slogans rather than substance.

“Imagine interviewing a chief executive or a finance manager and reducing the assessment to whether they are ‘fire’ or ‘noma’,” she observed, noting that such attitudes mirror broader trends in political decision-making.

Dr. Muchemi pointed out that leadership choices in Kenya have too often been influenced by money, tribal affiliation, and religion, rather than by proven ability and commitment to public service. She cautioned that this pattern undermines governance and long-term national development.

Her remarks come against the backdrop of anticipated by-elections expected in February, which she said should serve as an opportunity for voters to reassess their priorities.

“We must become more deliberate and intentional in our choices,” Dr. Muchemi said, adding that Kenyans should resist turning leadership into entertainment and instead demand accountability and results.

She concluded by calling for a collective shift towards mature civic engagement, urging citizens to take leadership selection seriously for the good of the country.

Dr. Muchemi is the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Samchi Group.