SANDRA ANYANGO

SST-261-050/2022
CRITICAL AND CREATIVE
THINKING.
ASSIGNMENT .
Question one
Using practical examples, discuss how critical and creative thinking can help liberate Kenyans
from the current political situation.

What is critical and creative thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to clearly and logically consider information that is presented to us.
Creative thinking is about generating new, novel, or useful ideas.

Critical and creative thinking are powerful tools that can be used to liberate Kenyans from the
current political situations. Here are some practical examples;

 Critical and creative thinking enables the leaders to identify a problem and come up with a
solution for the problem. Many regions in Kenya are faced with various social and
economic problems, these leaders use their power of critical thinking to identify the source
of the problem and deal with it amicably by finding a solution. This therefore leads to
political unity. For example, the rising issue of theft in Nairobi streets, Governor Sakaja
reacted to this issue by placing police officers in the streets to minimize the issue of theft.

 Critical thinking enables leaders to construct the strongest imaginable objections and
respond to them; leaders are able to formulate objections that may arise from citizens
concerning various issues, the leaders will discuss these objections and be able to come
up with solutions to them and this will promote cohesion since misunderstandings are
minimized.
Of late Kenyans have been complaining of the maize flour price arise, President Ruto
therefore, lowered the maize flour price from two hundred shillings to one hundred and
eighty shillings. This might not be a good standardization but he urged Kenyans to wait a
little while longer so that he can lower the maize flour price to one hundred Kenyan
shillings.

 Critical thinking facilitates peaceful ways of resolving conflicts; due to critical thinking,
peaceful ways of conflict resolutions such as arbitration and negotiation are used. These
methods ensure peace within a country and also amongst the conflicting group of people.
Political cohesion will be enhanced in this case since there will be likeminded people
who are in peace with each other. For example, the 2018 handshake between Mr. Odinga and Mr.
Kenyatta led to conflict resolution and everything was calm.

 Critical and creative thinking contributes to enhancement of democracy in a country;

democracy is enhanced through practices such as free and fair elections, when democracy
is practiced in a country the people will be able to leave in peace with each other and also
be able to fulfill their obligations to the country without any objections this there
contributes to political cohesion in the country.

 Critical thinking enables leaders to be able to rule without any bias, leaders are able to rule
the country guided by the principal of equality. They do this by ensuring the rights of all
citizens are well looked after and none of them is violated. Citizens will therefore be able to
 practice all their rights without fear of any form of discrimination. This will therefore
contribute to political cohesion.

 Developing innovative ways to engage young people in politics Young people in Kenya
make up a significant portion of the population but are often underrepresented in political
leadership positions. Creative thinking can help develop new approaches to engaging
young people in politics, providing them with opportunities to participate in decision-
making processes, and shaping the future of their country.
For example, the Kenyan-based organization Siasa Place has used creative thinking to
develop a unique platform that engages young people in political discussions. Through
their online platform, they provide young people with access to political information,
mentorship opportunities, and training on leadership skills. Siasa Place also facilitates
youth-led debates and discussions, providing young people with opportunities to
participate in shaping their political future.

 Corruption is a pervasive problem in Kenya's political landscape and is a significant

barrier to development and progress. Both critical and creative thinking can be used to
develop innovative approaches to addressing corruption, including identifying the root
causes, developing strategies for accountability, and creating opportunities for citizen
participation.
For example, in 2019, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) used critical
thinking to develop a strategy for fighting corruption in the country. The strategy focused
on addressing corruption in five key areas: public procurement, revenue collection, public
service, law enforcement, and the private sector. Additionally, the strategy included
creative approaches to engaging citizens, such as establishing a citizen’s service center
and a hotline for reporting corruption.

 Questioning the legitimacy of political leaders: Critical thinking can help Kenyans to
critically examine the claims and actions of political leaders, and to hold them
accountable for their actions. For instance, critical thinking can enable Kenyans to
evaluate the promises made by politicians during campaigns, to scrutinize their policies
and record in office, and to demand transparency and accountability in their governance.

 Encouraging civic engagement and activism: Critical thinking can help Kenyans to
critically analyze the social, economic, and political issues facing their communities, and
to envision and pursue alternative solutions. For instance, critical thinking can enable
Kenyans to identify and challenge the root causes of corruption, tribalism, and inequality,
and to organize and participate in protests, advocacy campaigns, and civil society
organizations.

 Challenging media biases and propaganda: Critical thinking can help Kenyans to
critically evaluate the information presented by the media and to identify and challenge
 biases, propaganda, and fake news. For example, critical thinking can enable Kenyans to
fact-check news reports, to evaluate the sources of information, and to analyze the
motives behind the media coverage.

 Innovative political leadership: Creative thinking can help Kenyans to identify and
promote innovative political leaders who are willing to challenge the status quo and to
adopt new approaches to governance. For instance, creative thinking can enable Kenyans
to identify and support leaders who prioritize citizen participation, transparency, and
accountability, and who embrace new technologies and social innovations to enhance
service delivery.

 Entrepreneurship and innovation: Creative thinking can help Kenyans to identify and
seize entrepreneurial and innovative opportunities that can address social, economic, and
political challenges. For example, creative thinking can enable Kenyans to develop
innovative solutions to issues such as unemployment, poverty, and inequality, through
initiatives such as social enterprises, tech startups, and green businesses.