Cocky political elites hurdle to reform, transparent and accountable governance

George Nyabuga

A few days ago, the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura acknowledged that tribalism influences in the distribution of senior Civil Service jobs.

As if that was not enough, the Medical Services Minister Anyang’ Nyong’o was this week at pains to explain the irregularity in the employment of Charles Olang’o Onudi as the principal of Kenya Medical Training College despite the advice of the institution’s board. That Onudi is qualified I do not know. But he was ‘given’ the job despite not being among the four candidates shortlisted for the position. And therein lies the irony.

Disregarding Advice

MPs accuse Nyong’o of acting unilaterally in contravention of the KMTC Act by disregarding advice by the board. But the minister says the appointment was above board and insists Onudi is qualified. Subsequently, the Speaker Kenneth Marende directed three committees – Delegation Legislation, Equal Opportunities and Health – to conduct a joint probe and report to Parliament in four weeks. Apparently, the four shortlisted candidates Dr Timothy Kingondu, Dr Mildred Amundany, Dr Jebich Maswan, and a Dr Simiyu, scored between 74 and 75 per cent. A good enough grade, but not to Nyong’o. The minister fails to disclose what Onudi scored, whether he was graded in the first place, and if he indeed applied for the job. Even though we reluctantly agree that he has the discretion to appoint the principal, it says a lot for a minister who has in the past harangued others for such actions.

I may remind the minister of Robert Klitgaard, Ronald MacLean-Abaroa, and H. Lindsey Parris argument in their book Corrupt Cities: A Practical Guide to Cure and Prevention that political corruption (C) equals monopoly (M) plus discretion (D) minus accountability (mathematically expressed as C = M + D – A). This may explain why the political elite often abuse their monopoly and discretion.

I have always taken Nyong’o to be one of the most courageous, and upright ministers. I have previously, especially when he was in the Opposition, never doubted his capacity to do the right thing, and his commitment to accountability. Our admiration for Nyong’o and his ilk was premised on their now past vociferous and passionate quest for transparency and accountability, and an end to endemic corruption before they tasted power, influence and opportunity. How fortunes, priorities and principles change!

In some scholarly articles, Nyong’o writes about how rent seeking, patronage and political ethnicisation of Government have watered the seeds of corruption and impunity. Having fought seriously for change, many Kenyans would have thought public resources, including jobs, would be dished out based not on tribe and friendship but desert and merit. But out goes principle and political morality in the growing opportunistic desire to reward rent-payers.

In other words, they are engaging in the politics of the belly, what Godwin Murunga sees as a system in which civil servants and political leaders sacrifice ideals for personal and political profit.

Accountable

In short, rising cases of nepotism, clientelism, patronage and patrimonialism demonstrate the incapacity of our leaders to build a system which guarantees morality, transparent, accountable, and good, ‘democratic’ governance.

And as Onudi finds himself in the thick of political mudslinging (he might consider quitting for the sake of his career and future) he may neither have foreseen nor wanted to be part of, Nyong’o and other political elite owes Kenyans more. Even though Kenyans may at the moment be impotent without mechanisms through which they can effectively hold the political elite to account, politicians should at least have a modicum of morality. Such is that past heroes have become villains, and epitomes of impunity; people inculpable and disinterested in promoting good, transparent, and accountable governance. They have now unashamedly become corrupt individuals increasingly exuding machismo in their quest for political quick gain, in their advancement of their own, and their ethnic interests.

Dr Nyabuga is the Managing Editor, Weekend Editions and Media Convergence. [email protected]

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