Our beloved
country is on the throes of a revolution. Almost everything is going wrong. The
economy is ailing. The education sector is no longer producing the
intellectuals it was meant to produce. The health services are stagnant causing
thousands to ail and die from avoidable causes. Kenyans hate their neighbours
more than they did during colonial times. Intolerance is at an all-time high.
Despite all the negative happenings, our politicians are their usual upbeat
selves telling us everything is under control – their control.
Campaign Financiers
Running a
political career is an expensive affair the world over. Strategists and
campaigners have to be paid. So do the speech writers and public relations specialists.
The best lawyers in the business have to be put on a retainer. Even the vote-less
hecklers in the villages and slums have to get their regular fixes of
cigarettes, bang, and cheap brews. All these things cost money – a lot of
money. It is therefore impossible for even the richest political aspirant to
manage a campaign machine without external help. In come the political
financiers!
Most
political financiers are not in politics themselves, at least not just yet.
Their objective is more subtle but long term than that of their political
protégés’. Their interests lie in the economic environment of the country after
the elections. These interests involve lucrative contracts that are controlled
by the politicians in power. It explains why public procurement is mentioned in
any major corruption case in the country. This is where those in power ensure
that those who sponsored them can recoup their money in ridiculously quoted
tenders for the supply of things such as wheel barrows, gates, bar soap, sanitary
towels, and standard gauge railways.
Corruption
Corruption
is the new normal in Kenya. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find even
one ordinary Kenyan who does not believe in corruption. Many people openly
conclude that corruption is here to stay and nobody should waste their time
trying to eliminate it. Unbeknown to many, corruption is openly propagated and
nurtured by the very same politicians in order to give their financiers a way
to repay themselves for favours granted.
Nepotism
In the real
life Kenyan context, family members are at the fore front of any
self-respecting politician. They function like the financiers mentioned above.
The only difference is that family members do not assist financially, they
contribute in kind. They are responsible for penetrating all the small women’s
groups and illegal vigilantes. They contribute in kind and expect to be paid in
kind. These are the people who will get all those menial jobs in government
offices. Some even manage to become quite senior without any qualifications.
They have to be paid for their services, one way or the other.
Tribalism
I can’t
decide which; between tribalism and corruption is the worst vice bringing Kenya
down as a country. However, I find tribalism to be more deeply entrenched in
that it cuts across all social and economic classes. It is common knowledge
that tribe is the main criteria for election into any office in this country.
Once the people place one of their own on a seat, all they have to do is defend
him from the jealous people of other tribes. For as long as the tribal
demographics remain the same, a repeat of the election would produce the same
results, tribe-wise.
Rule of Law
Inasmuch as
we have a new law, there is no aspect of that law that is completely unique to
Kenya. In other words, all our laws have been followed in one form or another
in many different countries. It is this law that all elected office bearers
swear to follow and it should be the same law that we, as citizens, should hold
them to account. However, the law in this country is treated like interference
to harmonious living. The Executive, which is charged with enforcing the law,
is often caught trying to interpret the law. This bending of the law by the
executive is usually done to favour political financiers so that they may get
away with whatever they desire to do.
Need for Political Martyrdom
What Kenya
needs at the present time; is leadership at all levels that does not care about
what financiers, relatives, kinsmen, friends, or detractors say or think. It
should be the kind of leadership that seeks to follow both the letter and
spirit of the law without fear or favour. We need leaders who are willing to
sacrifice their hopes of re-election just so that they can set things right for
future generations. We want to see a president who is ready to commit political
suicide by treating his political cronies in the exact way that the law says he
should; based on what they have done to the country, and not what they have
done for him as a person. After all, what is the worst they can do to him? Kill
him? Impeach him?
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