Politicians have become a law unto themselves

By Ken Arthur Wekesa

Majority of mortals in the upper sanctums of power have their world view deeply entrenched in a cocktail of deceit, tousled lies, greed and self preservation.

In the rough and tumble of campaigns, they will promise heaven on earth – a new constitutional order in 100 days, infrastructure development, 500,000 jobs a year, equitable access of opportunities for the meek and lowly, servant leadership, you name it!

This species of the ruling caste, to which the populace has entrusted the monumental responsibility of managing the public purse, cannot stand the litmus test of ethics and moral probity.

Leading thespians

They are classic crucibles of double-speak, who will take positions on a fastidious discourse at the swath of dawn only to renounce the same when night falls.

When it seemed the wheels of International Criminal Court would take donkey years to roll on the suspects allegedly bearing the greatest responsibility for the civil strife that rocked the nation following a bungled presidential election, they said: "Let us not be vague, let us go to The Hague.

" They are lead thespians in the rostrum of politics who ‘bleed’ from the very secret depth of their conscience about social injustice and bad governance, yet they are the same witches who cast potent charms to those striving to ensure social order flows like floods of Budalang’i.

These wolves only care about their self preservation. They conspired in Parliament to make the new Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission toothless by ensuring it remains bereft of prosecutorial powers.

The very crusaders who pointed accusing fingers at the past Kanu regime over corruption, are the very proponents of the vice: it is now their turn to eat.

When their immoral comfort zone is under siege, they trivialise debates and issues of national interest by flashing the emotive tribal card.

Their lingua franca under such circumstances has been ‘they are targeting our community...it is you they are fighting’.

That is the Kenyan politician for you! Mark you, he just graced a gathering in the village on a full stomach amid pomp and colour to be cheered by wananchi who slept on an empty stomach.

Since independence, the nation has lost – under mysterious circumstances – brilliant and selfless mortals who championed the cause of the masses to the chagrin of the capital baron.

The assassinations of Tom Mboya, Pio Pinto Gama JM Kariuki et al are crystal clear testaments to just how far the agents of status quo can go.

They shed crocodile tears over the plight of marginalized communities and the hunger stricken in arid and semi arid areas. They will play to the public gallery at the crack of dawn only to overwhelmingly endorse the very vices they condemn.

Moral dwarfs

When their immoral comfort zone is under siege, they flash the emotive tribal card and trivialise debates of national interest.

They are moral dwarfs bereft of any shred of tenderness for the sanctity of humanity. They will go to extremes to shield suspects wanted for crimes against humanity.

They would rather die than resign from their powerful portfolios even if serious and grave charges are preferred against them.

When the noose of credible judicial systems of international repute tightens on their necks, they christen them as colonial system that seeks to defile the sovereignty of our constitutional democracy.

They are manifestly endowed with irresistible alluring bewitching fragrance that no mortal can resist – money.

They use it to have their way and cover their tracks. They gift the paupers who just got elected or joined the system and harden their hearts and souls.

They are the potent voices that bestride the judiciary, legislature and executive championing the despicable course of impunity.

It is the sole reason, candidates with a twisted moral compass will be appointed to coveted constitutional offices.

The police force serve at their mercy and shoddy investigations will be conducted on cases likely to bite their pound of flesh.

The reason no head has ever rolled for gross economic crimes committed by these crop of elite is because they dine and wine with the state law office big shots.

It is time the nation’s citizenry stands up to confront this virulent forces that have held the conscience of our nation to ransom for rock of ages.

The new supreme law has in a way provided a springboard towards this course.

Those who are taking over the constitutional office under the new dispensation, who were not unilaterally handpicked by the powers that be, must lead the nation towards exterminating these potent voices who think their might is right.

The writer is a KTN reporter

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