#4: The system is rigged: Status quo is now a global problem, and rejecting it is our ultimate duty

Rejecting the status quo is an idea whose time has come

According to Victor Hugo, no one can resist an idea whose time has come, “There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come.” I believe rejecting the status quo is such an idea whose time has come. Simply defined, "Status quo, you know, is Latin for 'the mess we're in'". - Ronald Reagan. Today, nations are crumbling, families are falling apart, women and youth are desperate, and children are suffering because of the current mess we're in created by the status quo. For example, the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka where protest pressure is mounting and loyalists are asking the PM to quit. The Russia-Ukraine war is another global crisis that has been recognized as “acts of genocide” against the civilian population, with ripple effect felt in many jurisdictions. Here in Kenya fuel crisis worsened in the past few weeks due to delays in the payment of subsidies to the companies by the government and fuel supply challenges which crippled the transport industry.

The progress of our human society is dependent upon those who reject the status quo, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead. To reject the status quo is to take the less travelled road, and you may face a lot of resistance along the way, including those you thought were your best of friends, "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win” - Mahatma Gandhi. Apart from the resistance, your good intentions to improve the human condition may also be greatly misunderstood, “Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Some of the global challenges that need our immediate attention include Climate Change, COVID-19, Russia-Ukraine war, fuel crisis, inflation, and youth unemployment, etc. which has limited our progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Thus, our ultimate duty is to empower the next generation of world leaders and global citizens who will possess a different worldview that places our shared humanity at the centre of their individual and collective actions. This will give us hope that all is not lost, and that together we can make a difference to leave the world a better place than we found it. Such leaders can give us a new sense of hope and optimism in our quest to change the world, “Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson.??

Empowering the next generation of world leaders and global citizens who reject the status quo

The pinnacle of leadership or the highest level of leadership is where you focus on both growing yourself at every level, and developing leaders who are willing and able to develop other leaders. This is the best way to create opportunities for others and leave a positive legacy that will last beyond your lifetime. On 29 March 2018 I participated in a Multi-disciplinary Open Discussion on Politics and the Future of Kenya Convened by Kipchumba Foundation at the British Institute in Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, where I presented a paper on “Impact of Politics on Mentorship in Kenya.” During the Questions & Answer session, James Chak Mechuol, a Student at the Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies, University of Nairobi, Kenya, acknowledged that he was impressed with my presentation and wanted to know if I will consider vying for the Presidency in Kenya in the near future.

My response was that I do not need to be elected to a political office to make a difference. Instead of vying for the Presidency, I will be focused on empowering the next generation of leaders at all levels, including future members of the County Assemblies (MCAs), Members of National Assembly (MPs), Women Representatives (WRs), Senators, Governors, and Presidents, etc. Besides, being a President will limit my impact to Kenya while my mission is to impact billions across Africa and beyond. Similarly, I have been asked if I have considered vying for Governor position in Elgeyo Marakwet County, and my answer remains the same: To empower future MCAs, MPs, WRs, Senators, and Governors in Elgeyo Marakwet County while making an impact across Kenya and beyond. This is not limited to politics alone, but also empowering current and future doctors, scientists, engineers, educators, economists, accountants, lawyers, entrepreneurs, environmentalists, athletes, managers, and CEOs in Government ministries and County Governments, nonprofit, and the private sector, etc.?

The challenge with accepting the status quo

Status quo is the current or existing state of affairs, and to maintain it is to keep things the way they are. Accepting the status quo is one of the business and society killers as we need to change and adapt. The next generation of world leaders and global citizens will be expected to not just challenge but reject the status quo by making a conscious decision to reject the herd mentality and stand out from the competition and challenge how things have always been done. To do this one has to be a risk taker who is willing to accept the consequences of a decision, including a measured risk where the amount of volatility or the difference between actual returns and average (expected) returns is taken into action. One should learn to embrace change well before the crisis occurs. To maintain the status quo is also very risk for businesses because the things we have long accepted as the norm have suddenly and irreversibly been uprooted. As a society we will need to build our ability to be agile and adaptive in the face of a paradigm shift, which will be key to developing our resilience. The next generation of world leaders and global citizens will need to reject the status quo and defy the norm in order to bring changes to socioeconomic, political and environmental problems:

“Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

― Rob Siltanen

Credit: Quote Master

Political parties perpetuating the status quo

Recently the most popular political parties in Kenya conducted their primaries or nominations where some candidates were given direct tickets while others had stormy nominations where some election malpractices were reported but the parties dismissed them, which has made some of the aspirants to opt for the independent tickets during the August 2022 General Elections which may give them a better chance to participate in a free, fair, credible, and transparent process. Already 3,000+ aspirants are seeking to go independent, with majority of the defections coming from United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), thus proving that “The Democratic Party is the party of the status quo.” - Jack Kemp.

The challenge is that some of those issued with party certificates either received direct party tickets or were predetermined candidates during the nomination exercise because of their support or loyalty to the party, and will be endorsed through what we call six-piece suit as MCA, MP, Governor, Senator, Women Rep, and President from the same party. Unfortunately, most of them put party interests before community interests, and may be used as voting machines in parliament where some of them cannot even speak or initiate a motion in Parliament to better the welfare of their communities. The six-piece suit has also been systematically used to discriminate people based on their tribal origin and political leanings, which has led to violence in the past, including the Kenya's post-election violence in 2007/2008.

Thus, voting six-piece suit is a perpetuation of the status quo since most of those receiving the nomination certificates are the incumbents who may not have done much to their communities, but because of their contributions to the party they are given party preference, only for the gullible masses to be told to vote for them six-piece suit, and once they ascend to power most of the appointments will be shared among their family members and political cronies, leaving the poor voter suffering for another five years. On the other hand, independent candidates and those from unpopular parties are better placed to represent community interests first before party interests.

What it means to reject the status quo

Credit: J. B. Omukangala, Author?(Facebook).

To reject the status quo is to say no to the politics of ‘six-piece’ where candidates are voted because of their party and not because of their leadership qualities, what they stand for, or community interests. It is to say yes to ‘mix and match’ where the strength of each candidate is evaluated and the best elected, regardless of their party: Whether from the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party, Kenya Kwanza Alliance, or an independent candidate. This is the only way to liberate ourselves from the status quo and ensure that those who put community interests first get elected while those whose interests is the party first should wait to be nominated or appointed by the party.

Credit: Martha Karua

Reject The 'Six Piece' Political Trick

I came across this article elsewhere which better explains the current situation that we are facing:

“Six-piece voting pattern should be rejected by all citizens who believe in their conscience and the power of their votes. The propagators of 'six-piece', more often than not, believe that the voter has no capacity of making independent decisions and choices, and therefore, must be pushed to vote along party lines. There is evidence that regions that always fall prey to the six-piece trap do trail, in terms of service provision to wananchi, the regions where the electorate cast their votes out of free choice.

It is an absolute truth that Makueni, Machakos, and Kitui Counties opposed the six-piece mantra and have really reaped the juicy fruits of devolution in comparison to Homa Bay County that swallowed the pattern hook, bait and sinker. As a pattern, six-piece is crafted to enable those who are favoured with the party ticket to sail through even if they are incapable of providing quality leadership.

That incompetence and belief that it is the party that hoisted them into elective offices soon become disastrous when the electorate experience an acute shortage or absence of service soon after the elections. As we approach the 2022 elections, citizens of goodwill must realize that elections are not meant to massage the egos of party leaders but to choose individuals who stand for the greater good of the general public.

As painful as it is, that incompetent leader who is in office, thanks to the party leader, will never listen to the voice of the people. They are ever loyal to the commands and wishes of the party leader. To add salt to injury, the party leader is alienated from the people! Let's reject the six-piece political trick and embrace the mix and match where those with leadership potential and community interests get elected.”

Rejecting the status quo is possible

Credit: Cynthia Muge (Facebook), Nandi County Women Representative candidate

Some of the emerging leaders who have rejected the status quo include Linet Chepkorir ‘Toto’ (24 years) and Cynthia Muge (29 years) who emerged winners in the just concluded UDA party primaries for woman representative seat in Bomet and Nandi respectively. Linet won with 53,934 votes, followed by Eunice Benson 27,711, Stacey Chepkemoi 26,808, Beatrice Tonui 20,495, Cecilia Mutai 16,644, Susan Koech 12,410 and Brenda Chepngetich 11,901. The 24-year-old Chuka University graduate has had to grapple with financial challenges throughout the campaign period, and had to rely on friends and well-wishers to support her political ambitions. Linet graduated with a degree in procurement last year, and her dream has been to serve people and her main agenda once elected is to pursue the youth and women agenda.

On the other hand, Muge was an independent elected MCA in 2017 at the County Assembly of Nandi representing Kilibwoni ward when she was only 24 years, and has been outspoken on issues of governance. She a physical planner by profession and holds a master’s degree in project planning management and a PhD student. These young and vibrant leaders can inspire a new sense of hope and optimism that all is not lost, and rejecting the status quo is actually possible. ??

Credit: Linet Chepkorir (The Star)

Support system

Rejecting the status quo is never a walk in the park as you will face great opposition from the jerks and energy vampires who are armies of the status quo, “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.” – Albert Einstein. To be on the safe side you will need to be surrounded by family members who will always be there for you unconditionally and friends who believe and support your cause to reject the status quo and the political wave of six-piece suit. You will also need to grow in your spirituality and trust that if God is on your side, none can be against you, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” - Isaiah 40:31.?

Best emerge during crisis

According to Nancy Koehn, “Real leaders are not born; the ability to help others triumph over adversity is not written into their genetic code. They are, instead, made. They are forged in crisis. Leaders become “real” when they practice a few key behaviors that gird and inspire people through difficult times.” As face the problem of status quo, we can offer credible hope that collectively we have all we need to reject the status quo: Resources, determination, solidarity, strength, shared purpose, humanity, kindness, and resilience, with only two options - to be scared to death, or scared to life! “The only thing we have to fear is…fear itself,” - U.S. President Franklin Delano.

Changing the battle ground: The eagle vs snake

“The Eagle does not fight the snake on the ground.?It picks it up into the sky and changes the battleground, and then it releases the snake into the sky. The snake has no stamina, no power, and no balance in the air. It is useless, weak and vulnerable unlike on the ground where it is powerful, wise and deadly.” Similarly, it is possible for the young generation of world leaders and global citizens to make use of their intellectual power and social media influence to initiate a conversation on how to ‘reject the status quo’, say no to ‘six-piece suit’, and embrace the ‘mix and match’ which will make the forces of status quo start fighting for their political survival. We can inform our collective conscience on the dangers of status quo and have it reach every village and household before the forces of the status quo can catch up with their outdated six-piece suit that is meant to sustain the status quo.

By changing the battle ground to include social media they will have little control as the reject the status quo movement takes a life of its own, gaining momentum and acceptance among the majority of the young people who are digitally savvy, who quickly share and multiply ideas across platforms, bringing the much desired new sense of hope and optimism that reminds the political class that they are not indispensable, and their clinging to power is a liability to the majority who are suffering, and that ultimate power belongs to the people. As a result, they will be reminded that without putting the interests of the community before party loyalty and interests of the party, they stand a chance to be rejected as voters will not be voting for parties based on six-piece suit, but for leaders who put community interests first.?Unfortunately, if we leave the politicians to decide for us, they will give us the dumbest to lead us, 'Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber.' - Plato.

Best practice

The Finnish Government is a perfect example of how a government can be assembled by the representatives of two major parties and a number of smaller parties with a collective ministerial responsibility, with the leader of the largest political party becoming the Prime Minister, with the rest of the ministers' portfolios are divided among the participating political parties. Current ministers in Finland come from parties such as the Social Democratic Party of Finland, the Centre Party of Finland, the Green League, the Swedish People's Party of Finland, and the Swedish People's Party of Finland. If such a government structure is adopted in Kenya, it will greatly reduce competitive politics and will ensure both Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya party and Kenya Kwanza Alliance will form the Government, with cabinet positions shared based on parliamentary strength.??????

?Source: Alina Panduru (LinkedIn)

Standing on the shoulders of giants

Today we shall be standing on the shoulders of the following giants, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants,” - Sir Isaac Newton:

1.?????“Creativity is the power to reject the past, to change the status quo, and to seek new potential. Simply put, aside from using one’s imagination – perhaps more importantly – creativity is the power to act.” - Ai Weiwei

2.?????“I almost feel like it’s an obligation to not further the status quo if you become somebody with influence and exposure.” - Andrew Stanton

3.?????The job isn't to catch up to the status quo; the job is to invent the status quo. - Seth Godin

4.?????Either you defend the status quo, or you invent the future. - Seth Godin

5.?????We can walk together to change the status quo. -?Ken Wyatt

6.?????Certainly, none of the advances made in civilization has been due to counterrevolutionaries and advocates of the status quo. - Bill Mauldin

7.?????Science is not about status quo. It's about revolution. - Leon M. Lederman

8.?????The status quo is never news, only challenges to it. - Malorie Blackman

9.?????Your art is the act of taking personal responsibility, challenging the status quo, and changing people. - Seth Godin

10.??“Psychologists discovered that there are two routes to achievement: conformity and originality. Conformity means following the crowd down conventional paths and maintaining the status quo. Originality is taking the road less traveled, championing a set of novel ideas that go against the grain but ultimately make things better.” - Adam Grant

11.??“Geniuses are always marginalized to one degree or another. Someone wholly invested in the status quo is unlikely to disrupt it.” - Eric Weiner

12.??“All genuinely creative ideas are initially met with rejection, since they necessarily threaten the status quo. An enthusiastic reception for a new idea is a sure sign that it is not original.” - Eric Weiner

13.??The status quo leads to self-destruction. - Emmanuel Macron

14.??“Status quos are made to be broken.” - Ray A. Davis

15.??She's no longer afraid to die. What she's afraid of is living, accepting the status quo. - Ellen Hopkins

16.??The status quo (of development) pre-ordains failure from the very beginning. - Gene Kim

17.??The Democratic Party is the party of the status quo. - Jack Kemp

18.??If you're changing the status quo, whatever move you make is disrupting something else. - James Wolfensohn

19.??People who demand neutrality in any situation are usually not neutral but in favor of the status quo. - Max Eastman

20.??“You ultimately decide, every day, whether or not your life will speak on behalf of the oppressed, or remain an inaudible but decisive tool for the status quo.” - Lisa Kemmerer

21.??“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” - Rob Siltanen

22.??“Change is not what we expect from religious people. They tend to love the past more than the present or the future.” - Richard Rohr

23.??“Never be complacent about the current steps; don't agree and follow the status quo. Be determined that you are making an indelible impact with great change. Now, dress up and go to make it happen!” - Israelmore Ayivor

24.??The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it. - Warren Bennis

25.??Status quo, you know, is Latin for 'the mess we're in'. - Ronald Reagan

26.??The riskiest thing we can do is just maintain the status quo. - Bob Iger

27.??The status quo sucks. - George Carlin

28.??The status quo is simply unacceptable. - Brad Henry

29.??The status quo is the only solution that cannot be vetoed. - Clark Kerr

30.??I love challenging the status quo. - Sara Ramirez

31.??I'm a harsh critic of the status quo. - Andrew Cuomo

32.??Politics isn't just a game of clashing parties and competing interests. The right reason is to challenge the status quo, to serve the common good, and to leave this nation better than we found it. - Sarah Palin

33.??A critical component of progress is engaging with people you don't agree with - everything else is the status quo. - Anthony Albanese

34.??I would say any behavior that is not the status quo is interpreted as insanity, when, in fact, it might actually be enlightenment. Insanity is sorta in the eye of the beholder. - Chuck Palahniuk

35.??It will always be a battle a day between those who want maximum change and those who want to maintain the status quo. - Gerry Adams

36.??When something really bad is going on in a culture, the average guy doesn't see it. He can't. He's average and is surrounded by and immersed in the cant and discourse of the status quo. - George Saunders

37.??True conservatives fear anything that is at odds with the status quo, even to the extent of being unable to recognize when the status quo represents injustice. And reactionary conservatives actually want to tear down the gains of the past. - Anthony Albanese

38.??I don't accept the status quo. I do accept Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. - Stephen Colbert

39.??Because management deals mostly with the status quo and leadership deals mostly with change, in the next century we are going to have to try to become much more skilled at creating leaders. - John P. Kotter

40.??In building a management team, I look for integrity, loyalty, vision, and a willingness to think outside of the box, and challenge the status quo. I also look for people who have a good sense of humor and who value and empower their team. - Shari Redstone

41.??Build an environment that empowers your team to take risks. Set metrics for what needs to be achieved and measure against them to track progress along the way. If targets aren't being met, challenge your team to reassess and come back with a new strategy. And create a culture where people are awarded for challenging the status quo. - Sandra E. Peterson

42.??Any business today that embraces the status quo as an operating principle is going to be on a death march. - Howard Schultz

43.??The natural law is, in essence, a profoundly 'radical' ethic, for it holds the existing status quo, which might grossly violate natural law, up to the unsparing and unyielding light of reason. - Murray Rothbard

44.??The highest calling of leadership is to challenge the status quo and unlock the potential of others. We need a leader who will lead the resurgence of this great nation and unlock its potential once again. - Carly Fiorina

45.??This is what a crisis does: It makes you question the status quo. That doesn't mean that after a crisis we move into some kind of utopia. But it is an opportunity for political change. - Rutger Bregman

46.??I'm never satisfied with status quo, and a desire to make a difference is what drives me. - Kim Reynolds

47.??Influential people are never satisfied with the status quo. They're the ones who constantly ask, 'What if?' and 'Why not?' They're not afraid to challenge conventional wisdom, and they don't disrupt things for the sake of being disruptive; they do it to make things better. - Travis Bradberry

48.??I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it. - Niccolo Machiavelli

49.??Being quiet is comfortable. Keeping things the way they've been is comfortable. And all comfort has done is maintain the status quo. - Luvvie Ajayi

50.??If people are telling you that they don't believe what you're doing, that means you're doing something out of their comfort zone. And generally, people don't want to be taken out of their comfort zone because it's outside of the status quo. - Whitney Wolfe Herd

Conclusion

When the society is in crisis, we are called upon to become the voice of reason to inform our collective conscience. Rejecting the status quo will soon become the new normal in our quest to get authentic and servant leaders who put community interests first before party interests of consolidating power instead of genuine community empowerment. We have two options: To adapt or perish, and change is the only constant, and the starting point is to reject the status quo. In the 21st Century, the pen is mightier than the sword status quo, and rejecting the status quo is our ultimate duty. Poverty of the mind is worse than material poverty, and both are propagated by the political class in order to make the masses poor and desperate, thereby incapable of making rational decisions. Thus, it is important to educate and provide civic education and empower the people economically so that they are not manipulated by the political class to sell the vote to the highest bidder. By rejecting the status quo, we are saying yes to a new generation of leaders and citizens who use power to do good and to empower and free their communities from the status quo. Instead of being contented with the status quo rigged by the system, we should be able to identify the best among us with our community interest as a priority to become our leaders, “An army of sheep led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by a sheep.” - Alexander the Great.

Recommendation

Political stability is a key ingredient in achieving sustainable development goals. Some of the most progressive countries such as the Netherlands, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, etc. are very stable politically. There is need, therefore, to bridge the political divide in Kenya by ensuring that future Governments are all-inclusive of all major political parties, coalitions, or alliances since the Constitution does not provide for Official Opposition. This will reduce political volatility experienced in every electioneering period, thus ensuring that the culture of doing campaigns from one election to another comes to an end as focus is shifted to service delivery and implementing development projects.?

Parting shot

Our democracy is on trial when political parties impose direct and predetermined candidates via the six-piece suit. By rejecting the status quo and saying no to six-piece suit we are teaching political parties a lesson: To respect the wishes of the people by conducting free, fair, verifiable, and credible nominations and stop imposing candidates who put party interests before community interests. There is need also to create more public awareness and conduct civic education among the voters, “Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt. We should also invest in the next generation of leaders and citizens who can lead us to the change that we seek, “We have a powerful potential in our youth, and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends,” - Mary McLeod Bethune.

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Further resources

1. The 5 Levels of Leadership - https://www.johnmaxwell.com/blog/the-5-levels-of-leadership1/
2. Politics and the Future of Kenya - https://kipchumbafound.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/29-MARCH-2018-SEMINAR-PROGRAMME.pdf
3. World moving backwards on Sustainable Development Goals - https://reliefweb.int/report/world/world-moving-backwards-sustainable-development-goals-secretary-general-tells-economic
4. 12 Incredible Quotes From World Leaders Pledging Their Support for 'Global Citizen Live' - https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/global-citizen-live-world-leader-quotes-videos/
5. A new generation of global citizens gives hope to humanity - https://gulfnews.com/opinion/op-eds/a-new-generation-of-global-citizens-gives-hope-to-humanity-1.69230614
6. Meet 10 leaders who can inspire you to change the world https://www.un.org/youthenvoy/2020/04/meet-10-leaders-who-can-inspire-you-to-change-the-world/
7. 5 Reasons the Status Quo is Not Enough https://albu-strategymanagement.com/2020/11/5-reasons-the-status-quo-is-not-enough/
8. Business Killer: Accepting the Status Quo https://albu-strategymanagement.com/2019/01/business-killer-accepting-the-status-quo/
9. We Can’t Stay Here: Rejecting the Status Quo https://www.growthaccelerationpartners.com/blog/rejecting-the-status-quo
10. Many Global Youth Reject the Status Quo https://news.columbia.edu/news/global-youth-reject-post-covid-normal
11. Why 'The System' Is Rigged And The U.S. Electorate Is Angry https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2016/01/23/why-the-system-is-rigged/?sh=35d4b3bcfeac
12. Sri Lanka to receive World Bank aid as economic crisis deepens https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/4/22/sri-lanka-to-receive-world-bank-aid-amid-economic-crisis
13. Sri Lanka: As protest pressure mounts, loyalists want PM to quit https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/23/sri-lanka-as-protest-pressure-mounts-loyalists-want-pm-to-quit
14. Russia-Ukraine war: what we know on day 57 of the invasion https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/21/russia-ukraine-war-what-we-know-on-day-57-of-the-invasion
15. Fuel crisis in Kenya worsens ahead of price changes https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/business/fuel-crisis-in-kenya-worsens-ahead-of-price-changes-3780512
16. Kenya Stares At Another Fuel Crisis As Fuel Diversion To Transit Continues https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2022/04/wanyonyi-meets-with-sakaja-after-azimio-betrayal/
17. 3,000 aspirants seek to go independent https://www.pd.co.ke/inside-politics/3000-aspirants-seek-to-go-independent-124155/
18. UDA Dismisses 105 Complaints From Nominations https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2022/04/uda-dismisses-105-complaints-from-nominations/
19. ODM power at stake as direct tickets trigger fallout https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2022-04-18-odm-power-at-stake-as-direct-tickets-trigger-fallout/
20. Post-election Violence in Kenya and its Aftermath https://www.csis.org/blogs/smart-global-health/post-election-violence-kenya-and-its-aftermath
21. Little-known 'Toto' wins UDA Bomet woman rep ticket https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2022-04-15-little-known-toto-headed-for-victory-in-bomet-woman-rep-seat/
22. Little-known Linet Chepkorir aka ‘Toto’ wins UDA woman representative ticket https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6fo10H3vGU
23. Linet Chepkorir aka Toto, a girl who dared to dream and had people of Bomet believe in her dream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j2GfZ-phrE
24. Muge, Lelmengit clinch UDA tickets for Woman rep and MP https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2022-04-15-muge-lelmengit-clinch-uda-tickets-for-woman-rep-and-mp/
25. Nandi: Young Aspirants Win Gubernatorial, Senatorial and Woman Rep UDA Tickets https://www.tuko.co.ke/politics/451409-nandi-young-aspirants-win-gubernatorial-senatorial-and-woman-rep-uda-tickets/
26. "Shoot your shot": Another young woman, Cynthia Muge, wins UDA Woman Rep. ticket https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmucUTkhDuA
27. Real Leaders Are Forged in Crisis https://hbr.org/2020/04/real-leaders-are-forged-in-crisis