EDITORIAL: Honesty about health makes leaders human

Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga must be commended for his honesty about his brother Raila Odinga’s health. For days, social media was buzzing with rumours, old photos and wild claims. Then Oburu simply cleared the air by clarifying the former Prime Minister had been unwell but was now recovering.

When leaders are open about their well-being, their absences, or the challenges they face, they build a bridge of trust with the people they serve.

However, in Kenya and elsewhere, illness among public figures is often treated as a state secret. Leaders disappear for weeks, rumours spread and speculation fills the silence. This secrecy breeds anxiety and mistrust. It makes citizens feel excluded from those they have chosen to represent them. A simple statement – “I am unwell but recovering” – can restore calm and confidence.

Some of the most admired leaders worldwide have been those who spoke openly about illness or exhaustion. In Kenya, too, we must begin to see openness as strength, not weakness. Honest leaders remind us that leadership is not about pretending to be superhuman. It is about serving honestly, even when life tests the body or spirit.

As a nation, we must also move toward a political culture where truth is not feared and openness is valued.

Oburu’s candour should therefore set a new example. Politicians often hide behind silence when honesty would serve them better. Kenyans are mature enough to understand sickness. What we struggle with is secrecy.

Quote of the Day: “Nothing is inevitable in life. People make choices, and those choices have results, and we all live with the results.” —American historian Stephen Ambrose died on October 13, 2002