Leaders not keen on fighting corruption

The existential threat that Kenya faces is not one of whether a poor man can lead it, or whether it is plutocratic or indeed aristocratic. Kenya’s existential threat is that it is a kleptocracy.

It is because anyone can steal from the public and become MCA, Governor, MP or even President. Kenya’s problem is that a thief is a leader and everyone who can steal can lead.

The narrative that there is a dynastic ideology within Kenya is a laughable idea. We vote based on tribal bias. Our last president was not the son of anyone, and probably the next one won’t be.

Kenya has had many vice presidents and many more powerful ministers; it is not only the son of Jaramogi who is then qualified as a dynasty. By that count, the sons of Murumbi, Saitoti, karanja et al also qualify as dynasties as do Kibaki’s sons.

The truth of the matter is that turning the argument away from kleptocracy is a diversionary tactic meant to confuse the masses into a false sense of pity for those who already live like kings arguing against fellow kings.

The altar

The challenge for us the common folk is not to find the son of a pauper to lead the nation, our challenge is to find a corruption killer to lead the nation into slaying corruption and with it the kleptocracy.

The fact that as a nation we are divided along tribal lines, the fact that as you read this you are either seething or joyous based on who you support, is part of the problem. We the voters have abandoned all reason and insight at the altar of “our man”. We assume that we live vicariously through the presidency of our kin.

This thinking turns our attention from healing our nation as the main agenda to making sure “our man” becomes Governor or President. Our man is tasked with a simple task - to give us stories to tell in bars and salons, narrating how the “others” have decided to steal our seat from us.

This is in blatant disregard to the fact that both our man and the others are united in their greed. United in ignoring our actual needs to fatten their wallets and build bigger houses and businesses. To them there is nothing to compete for other than who will be the thief in chief.

Talking alone

Evidence of this is in the fact that many leaders do not desire to be senators for the simple reason that office does not present a kitty to pilfer. Our leaders are united and divided on theft.

The truth is that none of the rank and file of elected leaders seems concerned about killing the vice of corruption. The president seems to be talking alone, the others pay only servile regard to it, praying for the day Uhuru will give up or the DCI will be fired. The kleptocrats are keen to make you look elsewhere, to blame anyone else, but them for the state you find yourself in.

The kleptocrats can offer nothing else and have no other option than to divide us according to tribes and ask us to ignore that they offer no alternative to status quo.

They dare not discuss such matters as national debt, economic reform and never ever do they mention land reform. They speak in insults and parables, thanking God and abusing men in one breath.  They run when no one gives chase and call investigations witch hunts so that they can have time to politicise the righteous fight against corruption.

The kleptocracy works for them and they want it to stay. When you meet them in bars they will tell you no one has ever lost an election for being a thief, a sad fact of truth and indeed the very fact that all Kenyans of goodwill must address. We must understand the idea that our man must win for winning sake is exactly why you and I are struggling.

We struggle because we voted in kleptocrats and expected dividend from it. The fight against corruption is not, therefore, an autocratic attack on the few, but rather it is a righteous fight to save the people from the wolves who wear sheep’s clothing and tell us “bwana asifiwe”.

If Kenya is to survive the next 50 years, we must make this the people vs thieves fight. We must make this a war that sees no kin, kith or tribesman. Every voter must echo the president’s words: even if it be our own blood, if they are corrupt let them fall!

If we the people get caught up in the sideshows of this fight, we might as well surrender our bank accounts, our title deeds and our very lives for indeed and verily I tell thee, the kleptocrats are coming! With vengeance on their wings to destroy all whether friend or foe, for the benefit of their stomachs.

If we fail to destroy the kleptocrats now, they will destroy us then and it will not matter how many times you voted for them. They will impoverish us all, for kleptocracy knows no race, tribe or virtue. Kleptocracy is an equal opportunity destroyer of nations, just ask the Bulgarians.

Mr Bichachi is a communication [email protected]