We are in deep trouble over graft, so we must all be part of the solution
What you need to know:
- It is unfair and counter-productive to assume that it is the responsibility of the President to single-handedly fight and finish corruption.
- And the Director of Public Prosecutions, what special resources has he put at the disposal of agencies investigating corruption and what special measures has he put in place to expedite prosecution?
- Our dear brother, the Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court, are there special arrangements made to facilitate the quick but resolute disposal of corruption cases?
The 60-day period given by President Uhuru Kenyatta for the investigation of corruption allegations against 170-plus government officials is expiring in a matter of days.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions have, naturally, not finalised the entire case load.
I think it is fair for Kenyans to be reminded that not only is their country corrupt, it is probably more corrupt than they imagine. We hear there is a whole battalion of senior politicians, civil servants, jobbers, and ne’er-do-wells who do nothing else but connive, conspire, and plot to steal public money.
They are also setting up the embryo of a gangster state where those in power conspire to use their authority and official resources to take by force the property of other Kenyans.
I get the sense that the old corruption and looting has regrouped and loosed itself on us with a new fury.
And it takes me back to the argument I made a month ago that the problems facing our country cannot be solved by one man alone. It is unfair and counter-productive to assume that it is the responsibility of the President to single-handedly fight and finish corruption.
He can set the tone, he can demand action, but other powerful people must step forward and do their part.
The way it works in the private sector, the board of directors, on behalf of the shareholders, sets the objectives for the organisation. From the collective target, each worker walks away with individual targets which they must meet in order for the organisation to meet its own.
So, what has Vice-President William Ruto done to help the country fight corruption? I know he must have issued a statement here and there lending his support to the cause, but in practical terms, what is he doing to help?
Is he chairing a Cabinet sub-committee on corruption? Is he convening multi-sectoral task forces to help in the investigating? Is he part of a group of leaders on a campaign of public education against corruption?
What is the Speaker of the National Assembly doing to help clean the country? Is he setting up mechanisms to protect the legislative process from lobbying influence and other corruption? Is he encouraging members to initiate and review legislation on corruption? Has he handed over to the police any corrupt MPs or does he protect them?
And the Director of Public Prosecutions, what special resources has he put at the disposal of agencies investigating corruption and what special measures has he put in place to expedite prosecution? What is he doing to ensure that cases are strong and will not collapse, other than just rejecting them?
Our dear brother, the Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court, are there special arrangements made to facilitate the quick but resolute disposal of corruption cases? And are there mechanisms to protect judicial processes in corruption cases from influence?
Commissioner of Prisons, what accommodation arrangements have been made to receive the officials found guilty? I have always thought that the fight against corruption must start with the building of a new jail to house the convicted.
The rest of us Kenyans, who are pretending to be innocent bystanders, what have you done to fight corruption? Have you reported it? Have you provided information to the newspapers? Have you offered to testify? Have you refused to pay a bribe?
And the Opposition, other than finding fault and playing holier than thou, what practical help have you provided? I was encouraged by the bi-partisan approach taken by the Legal Affairs Committee in dispensing with the matter of the leadership of EACC, but can it do more? Can it use its platform to mount a more activist campaign against those in big offices they know to be involved in corruption?
The point I am trying to make is that we are in deep trouble. All Kenyans must demand to be part of the solution. On a recent trip to Dubai, I was surprised by how relaxed everyone was about terrorism and other security issues. So I asked: how do you achieve this?
The answer was that every native is a security activist. If they see anything even mildly suspicious, they call the police immediately. If you park in the wrong place, they call the police on you. This might be a little extreme, but we might need to borrow a leaf from them for our own fight to survive this scourge.
