By Billy Mijungu
Politicians with professional backgrounds are now employable and that is the right way to go. We have seen former politicians become Principal Secretaries and Cabinet Secretaries, serving at the apex of their professional callings. Others have transitioned from politics to the Judiciary as judges or magistrates, and many more are directors in public institutions.
This cross pollination between politics and professionalism enriches governance. It proves that public service and professional competence can coexist.
However, professional people looking to venture into politics are becoming fewer. The reason is the unfair and discriminatory provision in the Political Parties Act, which forces public servants to resign before seeking elective office. It is a bad law.
Why should a teacher resign to contest as an MCA? What financial influence or conflict of interest can a teacher possibly wield that would distort an election? The same applies to thousands of civil servants whose only desire is to serve their country differently.
Those holding senior financial or executive authority, such as CEOs and Managing Directors of state corporations, could be treated differently.
They may be allowed to take official leave during the campaign period, as their positions come with significant influence and access to public resources. If they win, they transition to their new role; if they lose, they return to their jobs. That is the fairest balance and the most professional way to encourage capable people to join politics without fear of losing everything.
Why, for instance, should a Clerk of an Assembly or of Parliament be compelled to resign before running for Speaker? These are the very people who understand the rules, procedures, and spirit of the House better than anyone else.
They are already the silent engines of parliamentary business. Forcing them out before they contest is both illogical and wasteful of institutional talent.
It is time to repeal this bad law or have the courts interpret it differently in favor of fairness and meritocracy. Kenya deserves leaders drawn from the best professionals, not just those who can afford to gamble their livelihoods. Public service should be a bridge to leadership, not a barrier.
