How theft is soiling Kenya’s image

We started off with the National Youth Service Heist Season Two of Sh9 billion (Season One of Sh791 million was a dress rehearsal). FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By DOUGLAS KIEREINI

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Summary

• Over the last one month, we have woken up literary every morning to the news of a new corruption scandal in Kenya. In fact, the practice has become so commonplace and brazen that we should not give it the dignity of calling it corruption because it is outright theft.
• We started off with the National Youth Service Heist Season Two of Sh9 billion (Season One of Sh791 million was a dress rehearsal).
• It is now emerging that the cast is the same but there are some new supporting actors in the latest plunder of our taxes.
• Then followed the National Cereals and Produce Board’s theft of Sh 2 billion where money intended to pay farmers has been siphoned off by brokers and officials of the agency.
• Next was the Kenya Power where 20 employees have been sacked for being involved in fraudulent tendering and the latest theft of Sh2 billion, money earmarked for afforestation at the Kenya Forest Service.

This week I write with a heavy heart. I am reminded of a book I read in school 45 years ago: “Cry, the Beloved Country” by Alan Paton. The book depicted, among other themes, the moral decadence that had gripped the South African society in the 1940s because of losing their culture to urbanisation and economic pressure on traditional land holdings.

Over the last one month, we have woken up literary every morning to the news of a new corruption scandal in Kenya. In fact, the practice has become so commonplace and brazen that we should not give it the dignity of calling it corruption because it is outright theft.

We started off with the National Youth Service Heist Season Two of Sh9 billion (Season One of Sh791 million was a dress rehearsal). It is now emerging that the cast is the same but there are some new supporting actors in the latest plunder of our taxes. Then followed the National Cereals and Produce Board’s theft of Sh 2 billion where money intended to pay farmers has been siphoned off by brokers and officials of the agency. Next was the Kenya Power where 20 employees have been sacked for being involved in fraudulent tendering and the latest theft of Sh2 billion, money earmarked for afforestation at the Kenya Forest Service. The list is endless.

The practice has permeated the very fabric of our society including the church, schools, the workplace, the corridors of justice and the family. Just last week, we read that the renown Starehe Boys Centre and School was on the verge of collapse due to financial mismanagement after the death of the founder Geoffrey Griffin in 2005.

Elsewhere on Thika Road, there is a voluptuous woman who entraps men for extortion demanding hush money of up to Sh5 million. Her clients include men of the cloth, judges, politicians, governors, businessmen, lawyers and university professors.

In this column we celebrate our history, our national heroes of days past, our national monuments and events that changed the course of our history to win our freedom and independence. We read about Harry Thuku, Dedan Kimathi, Tom Mboya, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, John Cunningham, Jomo Kenyatta, Wangari Maathai, Mark Leteipan, Sister Ignazio Murai, Markan Singh, Rev Gatu, Marcus Garvey and many others.

These are real men and women who made great sacrifices during their time towards the emancipation of our country and to leave us the legacy that today we are plundering as if it was the end of the world.

They did so knowing full well that the future of this country was in their hands as custodians for the coming generations. Today we are proud of them and hold them in great esteem. They are our role models and we need to emulate them in our custodial role.

The time has come when we must decide what kind of legacy we want to leave for our children. We must first and foremost remember that we are mere custodians of the assets and wealth of our nation.

We hold them in trust for future generations. Life is like a relay race where each runner does his best while running with the baton before he hands it over to the next runner who is fresh and ready to continue. Each runner must hand over the baton intact and as smoothly as possible to achieve the best results and so it is with life. Each generation must do what is right in order to hand over an intact legacy to the next generation. We owe that duty of care.

History is dynamic and what we do today will be tomorrow’s history. How do we wish to be remembered when our children read our history in 50 years’ time? As a brood of corrupt vipers?

We must not hesitate to confront the evil that threatens to plunge us into the abyss. Let us reveal the soft underbelly of our nation by exposing the real elements that are perpetrating this affront on our future, regardless of status, religion, tribe or party affiliation.

A thief is a thief. Let our investigative agencies do a thorough job and the courts dispense justice without fear or favour. Corruption not only fights back but it corrupts back. Let us say a resounding “NO” to corruption whatever our station in life.

Let us not be cynical but believe that we still have that unique and indomitable Kenyan spirit possessed by our great forefathers to overcome this cancer that threatens the very core of our existence. Evil succeeds when good men do nothing.

Let us make our children proud. Let us bequeath something of value to our children.

The time has come.