Elisha Ongoya: Kenya can’t be like Singapore if we keep lying to ourselves
Renowned lawyer Elisha Ongoya has called out Kenya’s political and leadership class for promoting what he described as a false image of national greatness, arguing that the country’s current trajectory cannot lead to transformation comparable to Singapore’s.
Speaking during an interview with a local podcast, Ongoya referenced Chinua Achebe’s book The Trouble with Nigeria, saying Kenya suffers from a similar delusion, in which leaders perpetuate self-deception rather than confronting the hard truths about governance and accountability.
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“If we continue lying to ourselves that one day we will be like Singapore, it is like what Chinua Achebe called a false image of ourselves,” Ongoya said.
He noted that during national celebrations, political leaders often proclaim Kenya’s greatness out of “self-deception or a faulty sense of patriotism” instead of facing the reality that corruption, incompetence, and misplaced priorities continue to undermine progress.
“Sometimes you hear our leaders talk on national days, and either out of self-deception or out of a faulty sense of patriotism, they declare our sense of greatness. I get where they are coming from. It’s good to have pride in your people and your heritage, but let’s be realistic. That greatness they pronounce will never come if we continue doing things the same way,” he said.
Ongoya emphasised that real change can only happen when integrity and competence become the foundation of public service
“We must get good guys in all the right places. When you do that, good guys tend to be very intolerant of mediocrity,” he added.
He criticised Kenya’s tendency to reward corruption and criminality, arguing that the glorification of dishonest figures in leadership positions undermines national development and public trust.
“We are more interested in our noisiest thieves, conmen, and drug dealers, and we put them in our sensitive dockets, then somehow hope that we will be a great country. That is not the right way to do things,” Ongoya said.
President Ruto
His remarks come a few months after President William Ruto expressed his commitment to transforming Kenya’s housing sector and tackling urban poverty, promising to go out of his way to ensure the country catches up with rapidly developed nations like Singapore.
Speaking during his recent address to the media on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, Ruto drew a direct comparison between Kenya and Singapore, noting that the Southeast Asian nation was at a similar development level to Kenya six decades ago but has since leapfrogged into global economic prominence.
“This housing, we must do it,” Ruto emphasised, underlining the urgency of his government’s affordable housing agenda. “Imagine Singapore was like Kenya 60 years ago. Today in Singapore, 95 per cent of the people are homeowners. In Kenya, it is the opposite.
“Seven million people are living in slums, but we are going to change this country. Believe you me, we have what it takes as a nation. There is no reason why we cannot catch up with Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea. There is no reason. And I am going to go out of my way to make sure we catch up with Singapore.”
