There is definitely an ill-wind blowing across the Kenyan landscape.
It stinks and is akin to that drip...drip...drip from a leaky roof that irritates by its mere monotony.
That editorial writers must keep harking back to the subject of runaway graft is testament to the resilience of graft champions, the supremacy of the lords of impunity or legislation that long passed its sell-by-date.
Sometimes, it always appears that the country leaps back a dozen steps for everyone it takes forward. How is it that taxpayers have to foot billions of shillings to revive State corporations that were looted dry by Kenyan managers in years past?
Is it not curious that nation-states considered “age-mates” have seen their economies grow by leaps and bounds and are net exporters of goods, services and Foreign Direct Investment?
That standards of living in these states cannot be compared to Kenya’s and their economies are powered by manufacturing, services and information technology, even as Kenya still relies on safari tourism and primary product exports.
Better education, however, has led to an increasingly literate and sophisticated workforce, lower maternal and child deaths, higher survival rates, the growth of democratic institutions and a desire to attain the standards of living of her peers.
The highway to this dream has been extensively laid out under the national economic Master Plan dubbed Vision 2030. Much has been achieved, much, much more remains work-in-progress, but the country is inexorably making headway.
Most of it is anchored on reforming major institutions of governance to adopt best practice, draft legislation and implementation of a widely-accepted Constitution, complete revamping of infrastructural works, proactive support to various economic sub-sectors, improvement of national health care, increasing literacy, and hopefully, adopting a better work ethic.
Very grand indeed. So, where lies the problem?
Simple. Everywhere!
There can never be just a pimple departmental procurement of goods, services or consultancy without the word kickback popping up. Not even maize that was meant to feed hungry wananchi during one of the country’s leanest periods was spared.
