The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which people with limited competence in a particular domain overestimate their abilities. I only discovered this because an author described Elon Musks’ DOGE as loaded “with ‘Dunning-Kruger’ kids, too incompetent to know that they are incompetent”.
I took the bait.
This is not to say they are un-intelligent. They simply do not have they competencies required to fulfill the tasks or manage the offices they have been assigned to.
A chat with CoPilot, my new favourite source of all things AI, did counsel me that:
- It’s important to analyze the context of these statements and consider the available evidence.
- The Dunning-Kruger effect is not about making mistakes; it’s about being unaware of one’s incompetence.
- Media reporting plays a crucial role in highlighting these situations and holding individuals accountable
Having said this though, This ‘effect’ has been apparent in every walk of our daily lives for decades, and now we have a name for it.
Here in Kenya as in other parts of the known universe, it amounts to unleashing people too incompetent to realize that they’re incompetent, on an equally ignorant public.
While we may be ignorant, we do know what we want from those charged with running our bureaucracies.
Lets look at a few classic Dunning-Krueger effects in aspects of daily life in Nairobi.
Recent County garbage dumping fracas
The debacle over outstanding bills leads the County Government to dump 14 tons of putrid garbage in front of the Kenya Power & Lighting offices, forcing the evacuation of not only the building but all adjacent premises including a hotel… for over 4 days. Minions are now being charged with all manner of crimes while those in charge posture and whine, making half apologies..The complete incompetence of these bureacrats was on display for all to see.
The new normal. Leave your car at home!
Traffic Police lead by example in this arena with countless anecdotes offered by motorists about those in blue. The image on the left speaks volumes. No one encounters these public servants without a shake your head in “Yup! been there” response when a victim is retelling the event.
Politicians kneeling and crying crocodile tears of joy, before the President when appointed to senior positions and then 9 months later threatening to ‘expose all the wrongdoing they saw’ if hoofed out. OK this also self serving but the incompetence is epic. Here we see the classic Dunning-Kruger ‘effect’ – Appointments to Ministries and Departments with absolutely no relevant competencies to run them. None.
KPLC – butchering trees within the 3 meter wayleave rather than cut or prune them. The ferocious and almost gleeful attacks on 20-50 year old trees was criminal all while environmental conferences and events were being hosted in Nairobi. Why were these trees not pruned or cut before they matured.. incompetence?
Nairobi Water & Sewerage Company – opening the water hydrants with only enough pressure to feed a garden stand pipe but not your storage tank. The man with the hydrant ‘key’ tells you water is being rationed, with a wry smile on his face.
KRA – are worthy of their own book on Dunning-Krueger and there are thousands of horror stories. To the point where even KRA personnel are now being charged in court with corruption and other offences brought about by their own incompetence.
As an example lets look at the hideous ETR devices ( Electronic Tax Register) that have been replaced with new ETR devices because the first ones failed to achieve their objective ( obsolete technology and programming). Only to be replaced again with new devices that even the suppliers cannot program correctly. This device is such a dramatic failure that KRA have pushed out yet another Tax Invoice Management system now branded eTIMS. It’s not been implemented properly ( Dunning-Kruger?) and yet we the tax payer are liable for all that goes wrong.
Parliament – Well what can I say that hasn’t already been said a million times other than it’s the mother lode of Dunning-Kruger effect. One just caught my eye in a media report today.
A member of Parliament states that the Office of the Controller of the Budget needs to “shape up” as it is common knowledge that if one Department (example Governor’s Office) wants the funds allocated to it, money must first change hands. Shape up?? Rather than nail the sons of a two bit thief! All the while exhorting the public NOT to bribe police or any other officers. Government departments bribing government departments what a novel concept.. Incompetence or complicitness or both? If you know about a crime but don’t report it, you are complicit in that crime. Everyone needs to go to jail.
So the next time you are stopped by a cop who claims you broke the law by crossing the yellow line, or insists swerving over the white line to avoid that oncoming matatu, is a crime against humanity nod knowingly, you are seeing the Dunning-Kruger effect in action. It is a permanent affliction and there is no cure.
P.S. Did you know there is nothing in the traffic act that says crossing the single yellow line is a traffic offence.
Want to know more about Dunning-Kruger click here. It is all the rage in the US of A right now apparently.
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March 11, 2025
Last Updated on March 28, 2025
