Why the days of runaway corruption are numbered

By Muleji Munaweza

Kenyans can see with increasing clarity the connection between corruption and poor infrastructure, underpaid civil servants, striking teachers and a host of other national challenges.

They are experiencing, first hand, the effects of famine brought on by wilful negligence on the part of civil servants and politicians. This long-overdue realisation is raising public perception of the costs of corruption.

Apparently, it is the estimation of the ‘fat cats’ that the topsy-turvy, ‘mutually-assured-protection’ circumstances under the Coalition Government are a good cover for plunder. Their calculation is that some public murmurs of disapproval, an ‘investigation’ and the arrest of some civil servants, the subsequent trial, and almost certain acquittal of the ‘small fish’ is a small price to pay for looting a few billions.

Apparently, we run a country where the law was enacted to be broken, where rule of law is a platitude. Our value system is in a shambles and cannot take us beyond a ‘banana’ republic status. We run a nation in which there seems to be ‘controlled chaos’ in the management of public affairs and public funds with the intention of promoting an environment conducive for plunder.

Unholy Alliance

One of the crucial roles of leadership is to nurture an empowering identity for the nation. What has happened since independence is, at best, a weak hearted effort. Instead much effort has gone into the strengthening of avenues and mechanisms for corruption. Recent events have also clarified in the minds of the citizenry that the unholy alliance of wheeler-dealers and corrupt officials cuts across political party and tribal lines. In response, citizens are realising that the role of protecting their interests has fallen back into their hands.

Kenyans are aware that nations are judged by what they build and do not want to carry the burden of the legacy of an underdeveloped, corrupt nation.

In this desire, a powerful caucus of external supporters joins Kenyans. With the financial downturn in Europe and the US, prudent resource management is a mantra among development partners and tolerance for corruption is at its lowest. Those who promote and practice corruption are taking huge, unsustainable risks and are in a futile contest against the forces of that shape our world.

Our experience shows that greed, among leaders, plus the opportunity that comes with public office is detrimental to the welfare of the nation.

In all stewardship positions greed, such as we are being treated to, is unacceptable. It is now up to us, as citizens, to take immediate corrective action lest we be stripped destitute. Let each one of us do what they can, with what they have, wherever they are.

The writer is a consultant with Upward Bound.