Sycophancy is abetting leaders disdain for law

Leaders, drawing on tribal and subjective prejudices have, through the employ of intrigue, falsehoods and corruption, got themselves elected into office and promptly betrayed the interests and trust of the gullible electorate. In spite of that, while lost in tribally induced sycophantic fervour, we have created the misconception that ‘our’ leaders are infallible, hence fawn over them.

Yet, even as the commoner is guilty of these self-effacing beliefs, leaders are equally guilty, and their guilt is worsened by inherent disdain and propensity to trivialise laws as the hoi polloi cheer them on.

Sadly, while affluent leaders trash laws and enjoy the spoils of rebasing, the hoi polloi can only be debased. Consequently, if laws were not expressly created for the poor, then Kenya is a country of two people, operating at different levels and guided by different sets of values and rules; legal and economic.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission recently wrote to the National Assembly Speaker reminding legislators that the law forbade them from participating in harambees. Caption 182 - 18(1) of the Leadership and Integrity Act 2012 and the Elections Act 2011 expressly prohibit aspirants from partaking of harambees eight months to an election.

National leaders have indicated they are not bound by those rules. Other than subjecting themselves to a superior being in donating to churches, their fear is that it gives their unfettered competitors an advantage in the ever present obsession with securing votes through monetary inducements.

Publicly, they have proclaimed they will continue with harambees if for nothing else but expectation of heavenly rewards arising from giving, a virtue they have belatedly discovered. That line of argument is reminiscent of the ‘panda mbegu’ gospel of prosperity. On reflection, this could be an investment from which these leaders covertly hope to harvest from with time.

From a personal perspective, I am not taken in by that abrupt affinity to Christianity in so far as it fails to adhere to the basic Christian values - humility and forgiveness. In invoking the name of God against political opponents, some powerful leaders intend to demonise detractors.

British Philosopher James Stuart mills opined that whatever crushes individuality is despotism, by whatever name it may be called and whether it professes to be enforcing the will of God or the injunctions of men.

Using their power and hastily acquired wealth, leaders hold starving masses in thrall with donations they easily recoup through dubious means. Thus, Jean Pierre Proudhon’s apt observation that property is theft easily comes to mind.

 Towards the end of September, Kenya rose through Africa’s economic ranks to settle at position nine, up from 25. By any standards, that was a spectacular rise. Kenyans were notified the economy was doing so well the promotion was inevitable. The buzzword was; rebasing. How does that meteoric rise resonate with, and reflect on the common man whose knowledge of economics is limited to the amount of money in the pocket?

Statistics by local pollsters and the World Bank show unemployment is spiraling. Inflation is high; the cost of living has gone up while salaries stagnate. Companies are relocating as others close shop. The government has no money to increase doctors and teachers’ salaries.

It has no money to implement some of its projects and is unable to increase allocations to counties. It cannot equip the police well or remit capitation to schools in good time. Worse still, the government is in the process of downsizing the civil service to cut down on the wage bill. Tourism is grounded and exports continue to diminish. Are these the modern indicators of a performing economy?

Either of two things should happen; elected leaders must respect and honour their contracts with the electorate or, the majority, who Stuart Mills argues are identifiable by their inability to act according to their beliefs, must demand their rights to end the debasing and enjoy rebasing.