“Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Lord Acton may have spoken these words in the 19th century, but their truth echoes across every corridor where authority is exercised today. Power, by its very nature, bends toward self-preservation. It seeks silence over scrutiny, loyalty over competence, and convenience over accountability. And this is not just a political phenomenon; it manifests anywhere leadership is exercised without meaningful checks. When leaders begin to ignore dissenting voices and sideline alternative opinions, they create an echo chamber where their interests masquerade as the collective good. That echo chamber becomes even more dangerous depending on the people a leader chooses to surround themselves with. Power curates its own company, and often, it chooses loyalty over integrity.
We see this most clearly in political systems where leaders face little to no restraint. In Tanzania, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed her daughter, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, as Deputy Minister of Education, and her son-in-law (Wanu’s husband), Mohamed Mchengerwa, as the Minister for Health. In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni has long embedded his family within state institutions. His wife, Janet Museveni, oversees the Ministry of Education and Sports; his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has commanded elite military units and risen to the rank of General; his brother, Salim Saleh, has held advisory and ministerial roles. Other relatives occupy additional public offices; a tapestry of power tightly woven by bloodline. These are not isolated examples; they illustrate what happens when power is unchecked. When personal networks replace public interest, governance becomes a private enterprise. And it is precisely this reality that reminds us why independent institutions matter.
Independent institutions act as democracy’s shock absorbers. They are intentionally separated from the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary so they can speak uncomfortable truths without fear of political retaliation. They manage elections, regulate the civil service, watch over policing, guide fiscal policy, and protect human rights. Their mandate is simple: hold power accountable, even when power resists. In Kenya, for all our political turbulence, these institutions have played a critical role. During the Gen Z protests, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) documented violations, condemned police excesses, and insisted on investigations. They became the institutional voice reminding the state that its power is neither absolute nor unchecked. But let us be clear: having independent institutions is not enough. Power does not take kindly to limits. It pushes back. It claws. And its first instinct is to weaken whatever threatens its dominance. Across the continent, we have seen institutions starved of funding, their mandates limited by amendments, or their leadership captured by political appointees with partisan loyalties. Independence is not lost in a single moment; it is chipped away slowly, subtly, and deliberately.
Yet even in this struggle, citizens hold the decisive role. Independent institutions cannot defend themselves; their strength depends on the people they serve. Citizens must call out attempts to weaken institutions, from budget cuts to politically motivated appointments. They must defend institutional mandates and resist political narratives aimed at delegitimizing bodies such as IPOA, KNCHR, the Auditor-General, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), and the IEBC. Public demand for transparent and merit-based appointments is vital, as leadership determines independence. Citizens must also engage with these institutions by filing complaints, requesting information, following reports, and participating in public consultations, because institutions grow stronger when they are used. And when institutions come under threat, citizen mobilization, online or in the streets, becomes essential. History consistently shows that public pressure works.
Power will always test the boundaries of control; that is its nature. But independent institutions represent society’s counterweight. They remind leaders that authority is borrowed, not owned, and that the state belongs to the people, not to those who occupy its highest offices. Still, these institutions do not survive on design alone; they survive because citizens insist that they must. Democracy is not defended once; it is defended continuously. And in that ongoing struggle, independent institutions are the frontline, citizens are the reinforcements, and together they form the only barrier between power and its absolute corruption.
Mathias T. Kinyoda is Amnesty International Kenya Public Communications and Engagement Manager and writes in his personal capacity. Email: [email protected]