Former Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) board chairperson Irungu Nyakera has urged Kenyans to deeply reflect on the kind of leadership they continue to elect, drawing from the humility and symbolism of Palm Sunday to deliver a sharp and thought-provoking message on governance and public morality.
In a statement shared via his official X account on Sunday, April 13, 2025, Nyakera noted that Jesus Christ’s entry into Jerusalem—riding on a donkey rather than a grand chariot—should remind Kenyans that true leadership lies not in pride, power or spectacle, but in service, humility and unwavering commitment to justice and the people.
“Let this day compel us to reflect deeply on the kind of leadership we elect,” he wrote, calling on the electorate to move beyond personality-driven politics and begin to demand a leadership that listens, uplifts and stands side-by-side with the ordinary citizen, especially at a time when public frustration continues to swell over rising inequality and leadership that feels increasingly detached from everyday struggles.
Nyakera went further to suggest that Palm Sunday, though a religious celebration, should be a time not just for waving palm branches in ceremonial joy, but also for waving them as symbols of hope, protest and resistance—signifying a deep belief that oppression will one day fall and that the cries of the mwananchi will no longer be ignored.
His words, wrapped in religious metaphor yet grounded in the realities of modern governance, come at a time when many Kenyans are grappling with disillusionment in political leaders, amidst unfulfilled campaign promises, worsening economic conditions and a perception of growing arrogance among those in power.
“May Palm Sunday inspire us to demand compassionate and righteous leaders who come not to be served but to serve,” he added, in what read as a clear rebuke of Kenya’s prevailing political culture, where leadership is too often defined by privilege, detachment and self-preservation rather than by service and moral courage.
Nyakera, who has consistently used his platform to speak on leadership and accountability, did not direct his message at any specific political figure or administration, yet the tone of his statement appeared to echo the sentiments of a public growing weary of transactional politics and yearning for leaders who embody integrity and empathy.
Kenyan parliamentarians
Earlier, on April 12, 2025, Nyakera launched a blistering critique of Kenyan parliamentarians, accusing them of abandoning their mandate to represent the people in favour of serving the interests of the executive.
In a statement shared via his X account on Saturday, April 12, 2025, Nyakera pointed out that in a functioning democracy, Parliament is supposed to defend the rights and interests of the citizens. However, according to him, in Kenya, the opposite is happening.
He went on to claim that instead of acting as a check on the Executive, Parliament is facilitating policies and decisions that, in his view, bleed the citizenry dry.
The recently fired KICC boss said that the current state of Parliament is no longer about true representation. In his view, it has shifted into an institution focused on serving the executive’s agenda rather than the needs of the people who voted for the parliamentarians.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Nyakera called for a change in leadership. He urged the public to come together and send the entire Parliament home expressing his belief that it is no longer the voice of the people.
“I thought it was a joke until I read it myself. In any sane country, Parliament defends citizens, but in Kenya, it helps the executive bleed the citizenry dry. It is no longer about representation but economic sabotage. Come 2027, we must evict this entire Parliament as it’s no longer the voice of the people, it’s the mouthpiece of the executive,” Nyakera said.