Confusion on the gravy train

By Kipkoech Tanui

It is tempting to give up on a rudderless country where rogues and ‘pickpockets’ reign, until you read of Ensign Kiyoshi Ogawa. He is the Japanese Kamikaze pilot who, in 1945, flew his plane into an American naval ship, dying at 24. The explosions he caused killed 373 American soldiers and injured 264.

The letter he left for his parents read in part: "I will make a sortie, flying over calm clouds in a peaceful emotion. I can think about neither life nor death. A man should die once, and no day is more honourable than today to dedicate myself for the eternal cause... Please rejoice for me."

Exasperation among Kenyans is palpable, probably not among those on the gravy train. To tax them, you first have to kneel and weep. They belong to the cantankerous cabal that ‘organised’ for Mr Yagnesh Devani to vanish before he repaid Sh7.6 billion owed to financiers of his oil imports.

Now, to stabilise the oil market, the Government will pick up the bill as it chases the mhindi.

In a civilised nation the Cabinet minister in charge, Mr Kiraitu Murungi, would have by now either stepped aside, or been forced out, for the second time. This is why one is tempted to give up on one’s country. I no longer trust the innocence of this old friend, like I did when he was in Opposition, chirping to us about Kanu’s thieving ways. The fact that this happened under his nose and Devani was ‘assisted’ to flee is reason enough for him to step aside until cleared. That is exactly what we are asking of Agriculture minister William Ruto.

That is what a Defence minister in Madagascar did when police battling protestors shot 28 people dead, even though he did not pull the trigger.

Brick Wall

I am not a fan of First Lady Lucy Kibaki, but I agreed with her when she took on Prof George Saitoti over his caustic remarks at Sachang’wan. Should you meet the professor (who also wants to rule) ask him what he makes of the 400 youths police killed with live bullets during season of infamy when we had a half-Cabinet. Police Commissioner Hussein Ali is still in office, puffing away at his cigars, congratulating himself for a job well done!

Thinking of the Triton affair, it sears the heart in Kenya Pipeline Corporation, the priority of the clownish Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission under thick-skinned judge, Aaron Ringera, is just the irregular sale of a handful of houses. Whereas corruption is corruption, even if it is receiving a Sh5 bribe, it is sickening that the Sh7.6 billion suit against Devani seems to have hit a brick wall. Yet this is a Government going round with a begging bowl, asking the civilised world to fork out Sh32 billion for famine relief. It has only raised Sh9 billion.

These are the folks who signed seven of 18 Anglo Leasing-type finance contracts, losing us Sh56 billion. This is a drop in the ocean compared to what Kenya is losing through sleazy deals such as the Grand Regency Hotel sale.

Is there any sense in Treasury selling this prime property hotel only to lease out Kenya Airports Authority land to Qataris (who have been busy stealing our athletes) for 80 years (when we shall all be dead, including the dealmakers), to build a posh hotel at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport? Have we thought of the security implications?

Before we talk about maize and Anglo Leasing you need to hear this; the minister who is simultaneously putting up two homes — in Karen and somewhere in Mount Kenya — has also started construction of a four-star hotel in his village. It has no name yet, but the savvy villagers already call it Triton Hotel!

In Rift Valley, the words of late Bishop Alexander Muge ring loud — corruption and cattle raids have one thing in common: You raid faraway communities until they have nothing left or have moved away, then you turn to yourselves. He said it began with coffee, tea and sugar, before turning to maize and milk. Sadly, Muge is gone, but not habit.

The worst remains the Anglo Leasing Finance ‘ghosts’ and the games they are playing on us — including childish decoys and red herrings given us to chase by Ringera and Attorney General Amos Wako. At State House and Prime Minister’s office, it is like nothing happened, reminding us of HL Mencken’s counsel: "Under democracy, one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule — and both commonly succeed, and are right."

Then the supermarket fire in which we locked doors to prevent looting! On TV, human beings reduced by famine into moving skeletons and Sachang’wan victims blackened by fire stare at us helplessly. Then the election thieves counsel you on the same news clips how to work hard, pay tax and avoid ‘greed’. Whence, I ask, cometh our own Ogawas — ready to die for their country?