Tame scammers to stop free-fall into abyss of rot

For the longest time, scammers have staged their con acts in dark alleys and backstreets.

However, in recent times, they have brazenly moved into the main streets, and are now staging them in broad daylight - in plain view of law enforcement agencies.

Indeed, yesterday’s rascals are graduating into either big corporate thieves or greedy politicians, wiggling through every legitimate hurdle to make it big in their thievery.

Right now, a new phenomenon going by the term “wash-wash” is sweeping the nation, and defining new comedy strains.

From fake gold, fake money and fake products, more and more people want to get rich quick, without breaking a sweat.

They want to drive the next big car, live in posh neighbourhoods and acquire choice bling, without earning them. And when they succeed, their safest insurance is political leadership, which spawns more opportunities.

The cycle then turns vicious as people look up to career cons for redemption.

While this paints an appalling picture of the low we have sunk as a nation, it also points to a bigger problem of a dysfunctional state where inequality, impunity and sloth is slowly overrunning order, discipline and justice.

It is not sustainable way to run a country and unless we have a Damascus moment, Kenya will sink into total dysfunction; an abyss.

The institutions that should checkmate against this adverse revolution must therefore wake up and play their roles, lest disorder rules the republic.

Right from family, religion, society and the state, all should reboot their moral fabric to tame the vices consuming our people and nation.

The moment to reassemble and enforce our value systems is now. Cons, thieves and other law breakers should be punished and put in their place swiftly and decisively, and barred from holding leadership positions. The media must lead the way, and expose them so that they are shammed and shunned.

Our new education system must not focus on competence alone. Virtue and hard work should be extolled and rewarded appropriately. Of what use is education, after all, if it is churning out competent but morally bankrupt thieves, cheats and grabbers?

And now that a general election is approaching, Kenyans must begin hunting for men and women who can lead them towards reclaiming our independence aspirations so that we can work towards forging a just, equitable and happy nation for one and all.