EACC will need more than the Bible to end corruption

When the anti-graft agency unveiled its biblical strategy to fight corruption, titled: “Integrity: A weapon Against Corruption”, I was not surprised. The person who helped unveil it is the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) chairman himself, Dr Eliud Wabukala, retired Anglican archbishop, Man of God and Christian.

COMPREHENSIVE
I am surprised though, that it was not a comprehensive guide that included values from all other religions in Kenya. That would have been a better guide in order to bring Kenyan from all walks of life on board. Calling it Bible Study Guide means it is intended for Christians only and, by extension, implying that they are the most corrupt (I dread to imagine that!)

PROBLEMATIC
In a secular State, it can be problematic to intertwine divine law with the Constitution. It brings unnecessary tension and has the potential to divide the society. However, I agree with the idea of taking a look in the mirror to understand our shortfalls. The findings will, hopefully, help us to deal with corruption within shared values of compassion, kindness and honesty.

GRADUATION
A Kenyan friend of British origin has spent years raising money for a school and a church in Kenya. When she was invited to one of the graduation ceremonies at the school once, she told me, she noticed during the prize-giving that most of the awards were for academic excellence. She suggested that it might be worth considering awarding pupils for being kind, helpful and compassionate and so on.

EXCELLENCE
Her view was that an individual needs much more than academic excellence to thrive in society. She posed: ”What good is a clever child to society if she or he is not kind?” I could not have agreed more. How many times have we witnessed one-upmanship between our leaders on academic excellence? Obtaining higher degrees becomes an excuse to look down on others. Those who deem themselves superior based on academic achievements cannot see that their behaviour lacks in value. What good are your degrees if you are arrogant, for instance?

EDUCATED
The EACC guide may sound controversial but it has elicited a conversation about the kind of values that, perhaps, are lacking in our society, leading to the high level of corruption in the country.
Invoking God’s wrath
Most people implicated in corruption are highly educated and skilled. One would have expected them to be the last to be so accused since they are clever enough to tell an act of theft from that of honesty.

PERSONALITY
Social values make us. We pick up some of them at home, school or any other environment that shapes our personality. Corruption is theft and violates one of the 10 Commandments that Christians believe in. I, therefore, understand Dr Wabukala’s inspiration. Those who wantonly engage in corruption clearly do not comprehend the implication of their action on the next person, let alone being scared of invoking God’s wrath.

INCONVENIENCE
However, defrauding a person or the State does not necessarily need to be perceived from a spiritual cross. It is just common sense not to steal lest you inconvenience the owner of a property. But if you don’t care, then you lack emotions such as compassion and empathy, which makes you a sociopath. Sociopaths are damaging to society by their sense of grandeur, fraud, sadism and deceit, among others.

CURRICULUM
The EACC Bible (pun intended) perhaps suggests that we need to retrieve the basic values we have lost. We may need to consider including lessons on positive values in the school curriculum to help the future generation grow up understanding that being honest and truthful contributes to patriotism. The aim is to aspire to a hybrid society that excels not just academically but socially too.
Working hard for that first-class degree and a Mercedes Benz is one thing; driving the limousine and respecting your fellow motorists is another. Flexing your muscles to have your way in the big car only corrupts the traffic for others, as we witness everyday on our roads.

PROSPERITY
The EACC guide was a well-thought out idea, but it can’t fully address the issue of corruption on its own. It should be complemented by a campaign and lessons in schools and colleges on what corruption is, its ravages and how best to steer clear of it for the sake of prosperity for all.
We need to make the society understand the impact of corruption on our daily life. Corruption causes slow painful deaths in many cases. For example, a person who steals from a children’s hospital needs to be shown the evidence of his cruelty on children.

PROTECTION
It might also be worth encouraging whistle-blowing by offering participants legal protection and rewards. Those who work in anti-corruption units and the criminal justice system need to be well funded and remunerated. Above all, we need an equitable society.
Divine intervention aside, we need practical ways to fight corruption.

Ms Guyo is a legal researcher. [email protected].