War on corruption is going nowhere

Shall we ever overcome the twin evils of corruption and tribalism in Kenya? Are we getting hopeless on these? Are we a generation that will continue to live under the pangs and effects of sustained corruption? Well the allegations and counter allegations on corruption that became the aftermath of National Youth Service (NYS) famed scandal has been more like a script from Hollywood. More allegations of corruption have continued to fill our air creating suspicion that we are a nation besot by the disease. But may I tell you what I think about fighting corruption in Kenya. It still remains a script fit for movie stars to explore in future. The late Chinua Achebe the famous writer from Nigeria in a novel tried to dissect the problems of the Nigerian society in a novel – the trouble with Nigeria. It makes an important read as it closely mirrors the trouble with Kenya and many African states. To start with, corruption has been perfected and has becoming almost an enduring culture in our country. To make it worse, fighting it is fraught with many risks, political, economic and even life threatening. In poor nations like Kenya corruption is politically, economically and socially powerful. Its tentacles go deep.

If there is a job that is almost destined for failure from the point of appointment in Kenya, it is that of being an anti-corruption Czar. Being Chairman of Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) looks like a job from hell. There are all indications that the systems, the culture and conduct around this very important position pre-destines the holder and the team for failure. From the period of the start of Kenya Anti-Corruption commission which begun with Hon John Harun Mwau   in 1997 there has been no signs to show that the holder would easily perform. Several or some of the heads who have graced the position seem to have had good intentions but knowing Kenya too well, it is almost predictable the far you can get and period of stay. The life span of holding the position is predictably short. Even in the long run it could be career damaging or personality denting.