If it weren’t for Goliath wa Bungoma, many of us who aren’t car enthusiasts would never have known Patrick Rianga.
That’s why Patrick went above and beyond to support him. He personally asked his boss to give Goliath a job and even built him a house in the village.
This is what true humanity looks like — a genuine, mutually beneficial relationship. Both men rose together instead of one using the other and leaving him behind.
Note,….
Politicians don't rise to the top purely through idealism, policy brilliance, or public service alone.
In most systems ,especially large democracies like the US, many parliamentary setups, or even semi-authoritarian states ,it's a long game involving ambition, strategy, alliances, resource accumulation, and often a fair amount of calculated maneuvering.
Here's a realistic breakdown of how many of the most successful ones actually climb, combining the formal paths with the unspoken "cynical" mechanics that frequently decide who makes it.
1. Start small and build a base (local → regional → national)Almost no one jumps straight to prime minister, president, or equivalent.
The classic ladder:
•Local council, mayor, state/provincial legislator
•National parliament/congress (MP, senator, representative)
•Higher visibility roles: committee chair, party whip, governor/premier, cabinet minister, vice president/deputy PM
Why this works : Each step gives name recognition, fundraising networks, media contacts, and a record you can spin.
It also lets you test messaging, build loyalty among activists/donors, and spot enemies early.
Many top leaders spent 10–25 years grinding through these levels.
2. Accumulate "career capital" and credentials Common profiles (especially in the US):
•Law degree (most common)
• Criminal Justice
•Business/executive experience
•Military service (signals toughness/patriotism)
•Prestigious university (networking + signaling elite status)
These aren't just resumes ,they open doors to wealthy donors, elite social circles, think tanks, and media appearances.
In many countries, early party membership or youth wing leadership is key , you learn the machine from inside.
3. Master the patronage / alliance game (the real engine in most systems)Politics runs on networks of obligation far more than on ideas.
•Do favors early : Help campaigns, raise money for others, deliver votes/pork to districts, trade endorsements.
•Build clientelistic ties : Promise (and deliver) jobs, contracts, grants, or policy wins to key groups (unions, business sectors, ethnic/religious blocs, local bosses).
•Secure patrons : Attach to a rising star or faction leader who can promote you (and later, you repay with loyalty).
•Control resources: Gain positions that let you distribute money, appointments, or protection — this creates indebted followers who become your base.
In many developing or patronage-heavy democracies, this is explicit (cash-for-votes, jobs-for-loyalty). In mature ones, it's subtler (donor access, committee assignments, earmarks, regulatory favors).The long con: You spend years owing people and being owed, creating a web that becomes hard to displace.
4. Play the visibility + narrative game
•Media savvy : Become the go to quote, viral moment specialist, or culture-war fighter.
•Fundraising machine: The candidate who raises the most usually wins primaries, this requires access to big donors, who expect influence.
•Party machinery : Win internal elections, control nominations, or flip factions.
•Timing + opportunism : Jump on crises, scandals, or generational shifts (e.g., ride anti-establishment waves, or position as the "safe pair of hands" after chaos).
Machiavellian flavor : Appear virtuous while being pragmatic. Be feared/respected more than loved if necessary. Adapt, the fox (cunning) and lion (strength) combo still applies.
5. Survive betrayals, scandals, and purges The top almost always involves:
•Outlasting rivals (through smear, out-fundraising, coalition-building)
•Handling dirt (kompromat, leaks, financial pressure)
•Knowing when to switch sides or knife an ally
Many who reach the very top have switched parties, broken promises, or buried inconvenient pasts.
Quick comparison table of paths in major systems
SystemMost common springboard to top jobKey "long con" element
US President, Governor, Senator, VPMassive donor network + primary war chest
UK Prime Minister ,Senior Cabinet (Chancellor, Foreign Sec)Party leadership contest + backbench alliances
Many parliamentaryParty leader (often after years in opposition)
Faction control + union/business ties
Patronage-heavy (e.g. parts of Latin America, Africa, Asia)
Local boss → governor → national
Clientelist machines + oligarch funding
In short :
The people who reach the absolute top are rarely the purest idealists or the smartest policy wonks.
They're usually the most persistent network-builders who understand that power is accumulated slowly through obligations, visibility, money, and ruthless timing — then consolidated by controlling resources and narratives once they're there. It’s less a meritocracy of virtue, and more a 15–30 year chess game where survival + leverage beats brilliance every time. let's keep on pushing my guys, until it gets done . Viva USA Viva, Viva Africa Viva.