President Uhuru should lead fight against corruption from front

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><xml> Normal 0 21 false false false SW X-NONE X-NONE </xml><xml> </xml> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:107%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} </style> It is so disheartening when President Uhuru Kenyatta points out failures of his government to tame a vice he promised to end.

The President feels that because he has fired a few individuals, we should, therefore, not talk of the lethargic behaviour of the relevant authorities that have failed to deal with the vice.

It is even worse when the President castigates the Opposition when he too admits, albeit subtly, that his government is finding it hard to vanquish the dragon of corruption.

It is true that it has taken the Opposition's effort to have few cases prosecuted to the chagrin of Government operatives, and President Kenyatta cannot take credit for that.

It doesn't help when the high and mighty within the Government have their names featuring in the scandals because that makes the claim by the President that they are doing good sound so hollow.

The institutions charged with dealing with corruption have resorted to accusing each other while the economy continues to get a beating as the ordinary man struggles to make ends meet.

Just like in the developed world, the president has to take responsibility for the failures of his regime and it doesn't work for him to blame the Opposition for pointing out the areas where Wanjiku is not getting a satisfactory explanation concerning the spending of public funds.

The Eurobond, for instance, has been a questionable expenditure. I don't hold brief for any political players but the work of the civil society and of course the Opposition is to always provide direction in cases where the Government of the day is deemed to be failing.

Bad governance entails a myriad of issues: insecurity, bad foreign policies, corruption, violation of human rights and a lot others. We pray that the Opposition and the civil society continues to point out these issues with the objective of correcting them and improving the lives of Kenyans.

{Titus Pala, via mail}

That David Ndii and John Githongo gave the State House summit on corruption a wide birth speaks volumes.

The President had invited them to offer their suggestion on ways of tackling corruption. I don't understand why they failed to honour the invitation, which would have been a good forum to air their issues with the current government.

A few days ago, Mr Githongo was quoted saying that this is the most corrupt government in post-independence Kenya. Critics act as eye openers and are crucial in any society that aims to grow.

Criticism without offering solutions will never achieve anything. I am convinced beyond doubt that Githongo and Mr Ndii lost a golden opportunity to push our country a step further.

{Joe Miringu, Egerton}

The blame game that reared its ugly head during the accountability summit defines a country whose justice system has failed to clear the corruption mess.

The presidency and other Government agencies must unite and deliver pledges instead of the wasteful empty rhetoric that fails to scare even the low-class workers who, just like their seniors, swim in corruption waters for selfish gains.

No matter how the President lectures the public over the issue of corruption, right-thinking members of public feel that no organ in this land is capable of making each one of us honest.

President Kenyatta once shot his foot by claiming that corruption just like a lizard living in a King's Palace had found a safe haven in State House.

Kenyans yearn to see corrupt Government officials rotting in jail just like chicken thieves.