In Kenya’s governance architecture, independent commissions were designed as safeguards for democracy, accountability, and service delivery.
The law is clear: a commissioner’s tenure in any such body is capped at six years. Six years, and not a day more, was the intended service period before the mantle passes to another Kenyan. This provision was crafted to prevent stagnation, entrenchment, and the monopolization of public office by a small, recycled elite.
Yet, a troubling pattern has emerged. Some commissioners, upon completing their six year term, simply transition to another commission. Others have clocked an astonishing three or even four tenures across different commissions, some even rising repeatedly to chairmanship positions.
In a country with over 50 million people, this recycling of a handful of familiar faces into plum constitutional offices is both baffling and unjustifiable.
The question is simple: why?
Is Kenya so short on talent that the same handful of individuals must hop from one commission to another as if it were musical chairs? The Constitution envisioned commissions as places where fresh perspectives and diverse expertise would continually renew the system.
It did not intend for them to become closed clubs for the well connected. The practice undermines not only the letter of the law but also its spirit, eroding public trust in these institutions.
Consider the public resources at play.
Commissioners exit their six year tenure with handsome gratuities, pensions, and other benefits, all paid by taxpayers. These payouts were designed to facilitate a dignified exit, not to serve as a pit stop before walking into another equally well paying public role.
When one person benefits from multiple commissions over decades, it transforms public service into a career of perpetual privilege, funded at the expense of millions who will never get the chance to serve.
Moreover, this revolving door breeds complacency and political capture.
A commissioner who knows they can angle for a posting in another body is less likely to challenge political masters or vested interests. They may tread lightly, avoid controversy, and preserve relationships that will ease their next appointment. Such dynamics threaten the very independence these commissions are meant to protect.
It is time for Parliament to step in and close this loophole once and for all. The solution is straightforward: if you serve as a commissioner, whether for one term or the full six years, you should never again be eligible to serve in any other commission for the rest of your life.
This is not punitive; it is principled. It enforces the ideal of rotation, creates room for new voices, and ensures that public offices circulate among the broad pool of Kenyan talent.
Kenya’s universities produce thousands of capable graduates every year. Our private sector teems with competent, ethical leaders. Our civil society is rich with passionate advocates for justice and accountability. To suggest that only a small cadre of familiar faces can be trusted with commission roles is an insult to the nation’s collective capacity.
Perpetual commissioners are a symptom of a deeper governance malaise: the inability or unwillingness to let go of power. Breaking this cycle will require political courage, but the dividends will be immense: revitalized commissions, renewed public confidence, and a governance system that reflects Kenya’s diversity and depth of talent.
The era of perennial commissioners must end. Parliament must legislate a one and done rule, and Kenyans must demand it. Six years is more than enough time to make a difference in one commission. After that, step aside and let another Kenyan take the wheel.
