WANJAWA: Leadership learnt but where are schools for nonpartisan political servants?

As Kenya inches closer to another electoral cycle, the country's political conversation has become predictably familiar.

The economy is struggling, corruption remains entrenched, youth unemployment is rising, public trust in institutions is waning and political realignments have already begun.

We are once again asking who should lead Kenya. Yet we are asking the wrong question. Before we ask who should lead, we should ask where our leaders are being formed.

Leadership does not emerge by accident. It is cultivated. It is learned. It is tested long before one occupies public office.

The tragedy of Kenya's politics is not merely that we elect poor leaders; it is that we have neglected the institutions that nurture ethical leadership before elections even take place.

That is why the story of Rotaract deserves to be viewed not merely as a tale of community service, but also as one of Kenya's most overlooked political assets.

Founded by Rotary International in 1968, Rotaract was established to bring together young adults committed to professional development, community service and international understanding.

Over nearly six decades, the movement has expanded to more than 180 countries, producing generations of leaders, young and old, who believe leadership is measured not by the offices one occupies, but by the lives one touches.

The movement arrived in Africa at a time when many newly independent states were grappling with questions of governance, development and nation-building.

Across the continent, Rotaract quietly became a training ground for professionals eager to contribute to their communities beyond partisan politics.

Today, countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa and Kenya boast vibrant Rotaract communities whose influence extends far beyond charity.

Across Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Kakamega, Eldoret, Nakuru, Kilifi and many other towns, Rotaract clubs have become centres of leadership development and civic engagement.

Their members include university students, educators, community development workers, engineers, journalists, lawyers, entrepreneurs, health professionals and public servants.

They meet regularly to discuss ideas, organise projects, mobilise resources and respond to the challenges facing their communities.

At first glance, these activities may appear apolitical. They are anything but. Politics, in its noblest sense, is the pursuit of the common good.

It is about solving collective problems through collective action. When Rotaractors organise blood donation drives, mentor vulnerable children, restore degraded ecosystems, promote literacy, mobilise public participation, support maternal health, or lead peace-building initiatives, they are practising politics in its purest form.

They are demonstrating that citizenship is not something exercised only on election day but every day.

Unfortunately, we have reduced citizenship to voting and politics to campaigning. We celebrate those who seek office but rarely those who prepare themselves to serve.

We reward visibility over integrity and rhetoric over results. Consequently, our political institutions frequently inherit leaders who possess ambition but lack the habits of service, accountability and collaboration.

Rotaract offers an alternative leadership model. Within the movement, leadership is earned through commitment rather than popularity.

Members learn how to chair meetings, manage finances, resolve disagreements, mobilise volunteers, execute projects and account for every resource entrusted to them.

These are precisely the competencies expected of public leaders, yet they are cultivated in an environment where service — not personal gain — is the ultimate objective.

In a society where ethnic identity continues to shape political mobilisation, Rotaract provides a refreshing alternative. Membership is built on shared values rather than shared ancestry.

Kenyans of every hue drawn from different communities work together, learn from one another and discover that diversity is not a political liability but a national strength.

One cannot help but imagine how different Kenya's politics might be if more of our leaders passed through such spaces before seeking elective office.

The timing could not be more appropriate. Rotary International's president for 2026-27, Olayinka Babalola, has challenged Rotarians and Rotaractors around the world to "create lasting impact." It is a theme that resonates deeply with Kenya's governance challenges.

Lasting impact cannot be achieved through short-term political promises or populist slogans. It is built through institutions, ethical leadership and sustained community engagement.

The continued expansion of the movement across Kenya is therefore encouraging. Particularly noteworthy is the ongoing formation of the Rotaract Club of Mumias, a development signalling the movement's growing reach into communities eager to nurture a new generation of servant leaders.

Every new Rotaract club becomes more than a voluntary association. It becomes a civic classroom where leadership is learnt through practice rather than theory.

At a time when many young Kenyans feel disillusioned with politics, Rotaract reminds us that leadership begins long before one contests an election.

It begins by showing up for one's community. It begins by listening before speaking, serving before seeking recognition and building trust before demanding authority.

Kenya's democratic future will not be secured solely through constitutional reforms or electoral laws. Strong institutions require strong citizens.

Ethical governance depends upon ethical leadership, and ethical leadership must be deliberately cultivated. Civic organisations such as Rotaract are indispensable to that process.

As the country prepares for another season of political contestations, perhaps it is time to broaden our understanding of political participation.

Beyond rallies and manifestos lies the quieter, more enduring work of building communities, mentoring young people and solving local problems. That is where democracy acquires its deepest meaning.