By Anderson Ojwang
For the last two months, Kenyans have been treated to the theatre of emotional outbursts from President William Ruto, Linda Ground, the united opposition, and the new kids on the block, Linda Mwananchi.
From the outbursts, actions and reactions, Linda Mwananchi has emerged as the ideal applicant of emotional intelligence in their actions and deeds, pushing them above the rest.
For President Ruto, ODM Linda Ground, former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, and Dr Fred Matiang’i among others have fallen into the trap of low application of emotional intelligence in their speeches, actions and deeds.
A close analysis of the different political blocks exposes how Linda Mwananchi is building on emotional intelligence to win the voters while the others are destroying the bricks over negative application of the same.
Emotional intelligence is roughly defined as the ability to perceive, understand, manage, and use emotions effectively in oneself and others to guide thinking, behavior, and relationships.
It involves self-awareness, empathy, and regulating emotions to reduce stress, communicate, and solve problems. Key components include self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.
Application of Emotional Intelligence
- Workplace Leadership: A leader with high EQ stays calm during a crisis, managing their own stress to lead effectively, and empathizes with team members’ anxieties to boost morale.
- Conflict Resolution: Instead of reacting impulsively, an emotionally intelligent person pauses, understands the emotions behind a dispute, and negotiates a solution.
- Improved Communication: Being able to read subtle emotional cues in others helps in adjusting your tone and message to avoid misunderstandings.
- Empathy and Relationship Management: Recognizing a colleague’s frustration and addressing it proactively helps in fostering better team collaboration.
- Self-Regulation: When receiving critical feedback, an emotionally intelligent person doesn’t act defensively but rather manages their frustration to listen constructively.
Linda Mwananchi
Former Jubilee Secretary General Mr Jeremiah Kioni has aptly captured it by saying: “When the organizing principle is power, you lose Kenyans, and if the organizing principles are issues that Kenyans are facing, you will bring everybody on board. That is why the Edwin Sifuna axis of Linda Mwananchi is more attractive.”
For instance, the recent attack on Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi in Kisumu and subsequent admission to the hospital could have turned into a political divorce between the Luhya and the Luo communities.
But the team went ahead to change the action into a powerful tool of unity and a rallying call, with the leader declaring that the attack was not committed by the community but by acts of goons.
“The Luo community did not attack me, and this should not be used to drive a wedge between the Luo and Luhya communities. We are committed to giving the country new leadership,” he said.
Kisii Senator Onyonka, ahead of last Sunday’s rally in Kisumu, was on Saturday chased away from a hotel in Siaya by some youths.
Onyonka acted by showing leadership, being among the first Linda Mwananchi team to arrive at the Kowuor venue for the rally.
“I was not attacked by the Luo community, and if anything, it was the owner of the restaurant who saved me from the youths,” he said.
Linda Mwananchi has moved from the politics of tribe in these two instances to issues, and this is winning Kenyans over to them by employing ingredients of leadership, self-regulation, conflict resolution, improved communication, empathy, and relationship management.
Linda Ground antics
The Dr Oburu Oginga-led Linda Ground has continued to play the politics of tribe and fallen into the trap of negative application of emotional intelligence.
The party’s National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, among others, has taken to chiding and insulting Gachagua as “Gachietha” and saying that their supporters cannot work with his people from Mt Kenya.
The team has dismally failed to apply the ingredients of leadership, self-regulation, conflict resolution, improved communication, empathy, and relationship management.
Currently, Linda Ground is sinking minute by minute as Linda Mwananchi flourishes, attracting a huge support base.
President Ruto and united opposition
Recently, Kenyans witnessed raw and unpalatable diatribes from leaders as the pressure of the 2027 presidential elections gains momentum.
It was the lowest moment for the country as the top leaders turned to body shaming, mudslinging, name-calling, and raw insults, personal attacks that have baffled and embarrassed Kenyans and the world.
From issue and ideology-based campaigns, the leaders deteriorated to non-issues that have no direct impact on the country and the citizens and fail to address the high cost of living and emerging issues.
It can be said the exchanges have been one of the darkest days in the country’s political history ahead of the 2027 general elections and could be the tip of the iceberg of how the 2027 campaigns are likely to be.
Gachagua’s emotional intelligence failure
Gachagua lit the flame in Kiambu when he attacked President Ruto, wondering why he had reduced in weight and body-shamed him about his ears.
“We will make sure William Ruto, you are not going to sleep for the next 15 months. You will sleep when you finally reach Sugoi. We will expose you. You have seen how he has reduced in weight. It’s just the beginning,” he said.
Gachagua’s speeches have mostly been laced with tribal distaste, which has only made him the king of Mt Kenya and failed to take his campaigns away from the region.
Gachagua’s campaigns have been in Mt Kenya and Ukambani, and this has confined him to being a regional and tribal leader, failing the tests and attributes of emotional intelligence.
Ruto’s emotional outburst
President Ruto, while on a tour of Mt Elgon, did not take it lying down and hit back, saying his attackers were driven by the demons of tribalism and hatred and cannot lead the country.
“Someone who went to the bedside of his sick and dying brother to manipulate the will. You cold-blooded thief, stealing from your own brother. Stealing from orphans and widows. You want to give us lectures. Someone who impregnated a young girl and then later allegedly killed her. What will you tell us about deaths? You cold-blooded murderer. You want to mislead our nation. We will not allow you to mislead anyone in Kenya, and you are not going to be anything in this nation. You belong in the rot of jail,” he said.
President Ruto did not stop at that but cast his net wider and body-shamed another opposition leader.
“You have eaten until your stomach is bulging. You have overeaten. I want to ask you to kindly have a look at yourself in a mirror. Look at your shape in the mirror. Bulging stomach almost tearing the shirt. Go to the gym and exercise. Kindly reduce overeating so that you may stop sleeping at functions,” he said.
President Ruto’s next target was a leader in Kitale whom he dismissed as a failure and incapable of leading.
“There is another one from Kitale; I do not know what to say about him. He was left a wife by his brother, he was left acres of land by his brother, he was left children by his brother. On that farm, he has not built a house. He hires a wife and rents a house. He has left his brother’s children to die from poverty. He is now traversing the country in hope of leading the country. Who will you lead? Go build a house first at your home, look for a wife, and buy diapers,” he said.
Matiang’i’s response
But Jubilee Deputy Party Leader and presidential aspirant Dr Fred Matiang’i hit back at Ruto, wondering why he was concerned about his eating style.
“I do not understand why you are concerned about my eating style. Because I don’t eat your wife’s food. Have you seen me come to look for food from your wife? I eat bananas from Kisii and food cooked by my wife. If my eating style is a problem for you, ask yourself why I have not come to ask you why you have grown thin?” he said.
Wamalwa’s application of emotional intelligence
DAP-K Leader Eugene Wamalwa said President Ruto had stooped low and that the insults against him were unnecessary.
“You have abused me. Today, I want to tell William Ruto that Michelle Obama once said when they go low, you go high. And that is why we go high. Today, William Ruto, you have stooped the lowest in your public life. What you said today, the insults against Eugene Wamalwa, was quite unpresidential. Very unpresidential, and I want to request you: I have never insulted you. You were mad and even wanted to slap me. It is the truth. It is not an insult; it is true you wanted to beat Matiang’i; it is the truth. We have witnesses because it is about your character and what happened. Hunger management is an issue that you have. If we say what you have done, Eugene Wamalwa is not insulting you. Why would you come home to insult me?” he said.
