Punish thieves of Covid-19 resources
What you need to know:
- Among the donations were quick disbursements from Jack Ma of China, which included millions of PPEs.
These bouts of massive embezzlement of national resources have increased exponentially.
In another scandal exposed by NTV, Sh43 billion worth of personal protection equipment (PPE) has been stolen from donations to the government that many sources have put at more than Sh215 billion. Among the donations were quick disbursements from Jack Ma of China, which included millions of PPEs.
However, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has not come out to explain who stole the resources, nor has the DCI arrested anyone. Meanwhile, health workers continue to perish from the Covid-19 pandemic due to fake, inappropriate PPEs. The resultant poor healthcare means many Kenyans will needlessly die.
These bouts of massive embezzlement of national resources have increased exponentially. I attribute this to the government having ignored the Kibaki-era National Social and Economic Council (NSEC) warning against a manifestly misguided radical shift in economic management from business-led growth to mega projects.
This sucked out most of the local banks’ loan money, leading to collapse of businesses after they were starved of capital.
When Covid-19 came calling, even the most resilient businesses turned turtle. Kenyans are wallowing in hardcore poverty.
Stealing of public resources by a small circle of corrupt individuals with nothing to their name but unbridled greed and impunity will continue unabated as the numbers of jobless youth swell.
Politicians in Parliament are not the solution. Kenyans need to think outside the box and seek the ‘Third Liberation’, which must be about full implementation of the Constitution.
If Chapter 6 is fully put into practice, it would weed out criminals who run for political office to grab the inner lane in a demonic race for public resources.
Kariuki Muiri, Nyeri
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The “#Covid19Millionaires” exposé by NTV, for the nth time, laid bare the filth in our society. Dennis Okari subtly painted an eyesore of Kenyans’ lives looted in broad daylight.
It is saddening that Sh43 billion of taxpayers’ money, loans and donations for Covid-19 mitigation was stolen in six months. Sadly, it’s a song Kenyans have become accustomed to.
With an economy on its knees, a sick health system and hungry Kenyans, what would drive a sane individual into pocketing that which belongs to the needy? Why are some people so greedy?
Enough is enough, as clearly put by Senator Kasanga Sylvia Mueni. And as renowned author Brian Tracy said, “The true test of leadership is how well you function in a crisis”. Our leaders have failed us. The leadership needs an overhaul. Demanding accountability from everyone ought to be the new normal.
Rachel Ndirangu, via email
