Muthengi's silent lesson on how we could stop corruption cartels

Corruption concept. [Gettyimages]

At Syongila, the crossroads of Embu and Machakos in Kitui County, a quiet scene unfolded that reveals more about corruption in Kenya than a thousand speeches. Our neighbour, Hamisi Muthengi, from Ngulungu Village in Matinyani Sub District, walked to a spot long known for police roadblocks.

Dressed sharply, he stopped about 15 metres away and said nothing. A matatu passed by. As it slowed down, a note was dropped onto the road. The officers watched silently. Hamisi walked over, picked up the money, and put it in his pocket. Five minutes later, another vehicle did the same. Again, Hamisi collected the note.

When a third vehicle followed, the officers grew uncomfortable. Finally, one said in Kikamba, “Mwanoo nuuthi kana ithyi tuthi,” meaning “gentleman, either you leave this place or we will”. Hamisi did not respond. As the officers were leaving, another matatu dropped money. Hamisi pocketed it and walked away smiling. That day, corruption disappeared and moved on.

This true story is light, even funny, but it reveals a harsh truth. Corruption persists because it is sustained. It depends on routine, fear, silence, and predictability. When citizens break the cycle and stop feeding it, corruption loses its confidence and retreats.

Kenyans are exhausted. County projects stall as payments delay for water, roads, clinics, and markets. Parents stay awake over school fees, Grade 10 transitions, and university debts. Young people search endlessly for work as the cost of living outpaces hope. Poverty is no longer just a statistic. It is a daily humiliation felt in homes, markets and villages across the country.

According to the Auditor General’s FY 2023/2024 Report, public finance data confirms what households already feel. In the last fiscal year, Kenya planned to spend Sh4.82 trillion but spent about Sh4.23 trillion. That gap isn’t just an accounting issue.

It means unfinished classrooms, undelivered medicines, unpaid contractors, and communities stuck halfway to progress. One billion shillings is equivalent to one million Sh1,000 notes. That is how corruption builds a mountain.

Surveys confirm the same truth on the ground. Over half of Kenyans have witnessed bribery in public offices, yet most choose silence. The bribes are small, but the culture is vast. Police road collections dominate, confirming that what happened at Syongila Junction is not an exception. It is a system. What Hamisi did at Syongila Junction is exactly what many Kenyans don’t realise they already have the power to do.

Leaders often say Kenya lacks leadership. I completely disagree. Kenya has many leaders. What we lack is responsibility. The same leaders who struggle with corruption succeed elsewhere. They build roads, negotiate deals, mobilise votes, and handle crises. Our problem isn’t capacity; it’s ownership. Too many people treat public money like the weather; they complain about it but don’t take responsibility for it. Short-term thinking fuels corruption by trading tomorrow’s nation for today’s convenience. Responsibility asks one question: If I stop feeding this system, can it survive?

This is where the citizen steps in, not as a protester but as a disruptor. Hamisi did not shout, fight, or insult authority. He simply removed the fuel. That is the model I believe Kenya needs: silent refusal and public disruption. When bribes fail to reach their intended recipients, corruption moves elsewhere.

Imagine a country where citizens insist on traceable payments for every public service, eliminate cash extortion through digital channels, report collectively and anonymously, and reward integrity with recognition instead of money.

This isn’t naïve; it’s practical. Every refusal saves money, and each saved shilling reduces pressure on taxes and borrowing. Each disrupted bribe shows policymakers that reform works when citizens act. Hamisi did not argue. He stood firm. When the feeding stopped, corruption left. Policymakers must spread this lesson everywhere, teaching citizens to starve corruption rather than just condemn it. Think Green, act Green!

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