How Kenya’s Middle Class Is Quietly Fueling Poor Governance

Kenya’s middle class is often seen as the engine of the economy. They are the teachers, government officers, administrators and professionals who keep the country running. 

By virtue of  their jobs, they understand how systems work, what is working well, what is broken and what needs to be fixed in the country for us to prosper. They are in a strong position to push for change. But despite this, the same group is quietly contributing to poor governance.

One major reason is the pressure to “look successful.” Many middle-class Kenyans live under immense pressure to prove to the society that they have “made it in life.” 

This leads to chasing lifestyles that are expensive and sometimes beyond their means, eg. living in very posh estate, driving expensive cars and spending money in high-end places. The focus shifts from building real wealth to maintaining an image.

To sustain this lifestyle, especially in a tough economy like ours, majority of them end up engaging in corruption. Small bribes, inflated procurement figures, facilitation fees and quiet compromises become normalised. Not necessarily out of greed alone, but as a means to sustain a lifestyle that signals “progress” and shields them from slipping back into poverty. In doing so, they unintentionally reinforce the very systems that undermine national progress.

This behaviour is very clear in key sectors like education and healthcare.

In education, instead of fighting for better public schools for all children, many middle-class parents prefer to take their kids to expensive private schools rather than collectively demanding well-funded, high-quality public schools for all. 

It is often about image. The motivation is often less about quality and more about perception... proof that they have “made it.” 

They criticise public schools as being “for the poor,” yet they do little to improve them. They avoid these schools completely so that they are not associated with poverty. There is a growing reluctance to associate with them at all, lest one be perceived as struggling. 

In avoiding these institutions, they inadvertently abandon them, leaving the majority without a strong, informed voice to demand reform. As a result, public schools continue to decline because those who understand the system best have abandoned them.

The same happens in healthcare. Instead of pushing for efficient, dignified public health systems, the middle class leans toward expensive insurance and private hospitals, not purely out of necessity, but also as a status marker and be seen as successful.

Being seen in a high-end facility becomes a symbol of success. Public hospitals, despite serving millions, are often spoken of with contempt, viewed as places to avoid, rather than institutions to fix. Many would rather stretch financially than be seen seeking care there, reinforcing the perception that such facilities are only for those at the bottom of the social ladder.

This attitude also affects how they relate to the poor. The middle class increasingly draw a line between themselves and the poor, socially, physically and psychologically. There is a subtle but real tendency to look down upon lower-income groups, to avoid shared spaces, and to project a clear message: “we are not the same.” In trying to separate themselves, they weaken the collective voice that is necessary to demand better services for all.

In everyday living, perception often takes precedence over reality. Many stretch their finances to live in neighborhoods beyond their means, drive cars that strain their budgets, and frequent high-end establishments to project a certain image. Dining in expensive hotels, attending elite social spaces, and curating a “successful” lifestyle becomes part of the identity. Behind closed doors, however, this often translates into debt, financial anxiety, and, in some cases, silent mental health struggles.

This culture of performance has deeper governance consequences. In trying to align themselves with the elite and distance themselves from the poor, the middle class disengages from collective struggles that could drive reform. 

Instead of pushing for better public systems, they opt out of them. Instead of demanding accountability, they adapt to dysfunction. The result is a vacuum where poor governance thrives with minimal resistance from the very group best placed to challenge it.

Ironically, the children raised in this environment are not immune to its pressures. Growing up within carefully constructed images of success, some face intense expectations and identity conflicts. When the reality behind the façade becomes apparent, it can lead to frustration, rebellion or unhealthy coping mechanisms.

None of this negates the fact that Kenya’s middle class is hardworking and vital to national progress. But it highlights a critical vulnerability: when a class defines itself primarily through perception and distance from others, rather than through collective responsibility and structural influence, it risks becoming complicit in both its own exploitation and the failure of the systems it sustains.

If there is to be meaningful change in governance, the shift must begin here. The same middle class that understands the system must choose to engage it differently, prioritising accountability over appearance, strengthening public institutions instead of abandoning them, and recognising that sustainable progress cannot be built on separation, but on shared responsibility.

Because ultimately, a country cannot function better than the values of the people running it.

Jaymo Wa Thika
CEO, Thika Town Today – 3T / 3T TV