What Makes a Good Voter?

I spent almost seven hours on the road yesterday.

One thing I enjoy about long drives is that they give me time to think. The radio fills the silence, but somewhere between one town and the next, my mind usually wanders off on its own.

Yesterday, almost every radio station was talking about one thing—the Ol Kalou by-election.

If you listened long enough, you would think the future of the country depended on that one election. Every political analyst had an opinion. Every politician claimed victory, even those who had clearly lost. And, of course, social media was overflowing with experts who had not left their sofas all day.

The conversation wasn't just about who won. It was about what the result meant.

Some argued it was proof that the current government deserved only one term. Others insisted it changed nothing. Then there were those declaring that history would judge anyone who refused to pick a side.

I have learned that not every conversation requires me to wear a political jersey. Sometimes it is more interesting to watch the game than to join the shouting.

So instead of asking who won, I found myself asking a different question.

What does this election tell us about the Kenyan voter?

From all the reports, the ruling party invested heavily in the campaign. We heard stories of money, mattresses, gas cylinders, shoes, boats—you almost expected someone to promise a free cow before election day.

Yet, despite all that, they received only a small share of the vote.

That, by itself, is interesting.

But another thought crossed my mind.

Kenya has more than 22 million registered voters. Ol Kalou has about 75,000. In the bigger picture, that is a tiny fraction of the electorate. It is like judging the whole harvest after picking just one basket of potatoes.

So why did this one election attract so much attention?

As I drove on, I remembered something that has puzzled me for years.

Back in 2017, I compared how different counties chose their governors.

You would expect counties with better schools, higher incomes and greater exposure to elect leaders with the strongest qualifications. Likewise, you might expect counties facing greater challenges to struggle with leadership choices.

But that wasn't always the case.

Makueni elected Professor Kivutha Kibwana.

West Pokot elected Professor John Lonyangapuo.

Both were respected scholars with impressive careers.

Meanwhile, Nairobi elected Mike Sonko.

Kiambu elected Ferdinand Waititu.

Both were popular politicians, but their public records and educational backgrounds raised many questions.

That contrast has never left me.

How is it that communities often described as less educated sometimes choose highly accomplished leaders, while counties with greater education and exposure make very different choices?

Maybe we ask the wrong questions.

Perhaps education alone does not decide how people vote.

Maybe voters are looking for something else.

Some vote for competence.

Others vote for loyalty.

Some choose the person they relate to most.

Others vote out of hope, frustration, identity, or simply because they believe one candidate understands their struggles better than another.

Human beings are complicated.

Voters are no different.

As for the Ol Kalou election, I honestly do not know enough about the candidates to say who was the better choice. The people of Ol Kalou made their decision despite enormous political pressure and intense campaigning.

Whether history proves them right or wrong is a question only time can answer.

But my drive reminded me of something important.

We are often quick to judge how people vote.

We are much slower to understand why they vote that way.

And perhaps that is the conversation worth having.

Because democracy is not just about counting votes.

It is about understanding the people who cast them.