Dear Sir/Madam,
There is an Igbo saying that states that a rock behind the sea does not hear rainfall even if it rains cats and dogs. This is because such a rock is always wet to notice the rain. Like this rock, some of our political leaders are absolutely drenched in corruption. No matter the torrential outpouring of complaints from the public about their corrupt engagements, such political leaders are tone deaf because their moral fibres have been numbed by the seemingly attractive and lucrative corruption.
In the wake of the successive scandals we have heard them unleash cryptic utterances in their defense. Their obliquities and intrigues have always left the public more confounded. Amid all these, serious bribery silently takes place. Many legislators across the political divide have been hired to form a protective ring round the architects of these calamitous scandals. In fact, with Parliament`s recess coming to an end in less than two weeks time, I have a hunch that some unforeseen forces are already on the prowl for legislators who will help kill the anticipated censure motion against honorable Ongeri.
As cynically chilling as it appears, yet it is not unexpected because where partisanship and ethnicity are the mantra, hubris defeats caution. Any keen observer would not fail to discern what this arrogance is all about. Politicians across the political divide are preoccupied with amassing huge finances in readiness for 2012. Many are using the incessant and discordant fiddling in the Grand Coalition Government as a smokescreen for them to pilfer from the public coffers. It is even said that an unnamed presidential aspirant touting about “generational change” has been heard brazenly bragging that he has already “amassed” over eight billion shillings just for 2012!
In such circumstances condemning corruption becomes terribly frightening and unpopular even among the few honest politicians. They would rather see their profiles in cowardice grow than for them to fight this insidious evil. But they have a valid reason for cowering. This is because; corrupt politicians and their political hirelings will besmirch and plot the downfall of anyone who stands in their corrupt way. Power politics and corruption have truly become the diplomatic names for the law of the jungle. I am therefore not surprised that some politicians mainly from PNU have already cheekily called for the resignation of the PM for his alleged failure in supervising and coordinating activities in the Grand Coalition Government.
But wait a minute; are these not the same politicians who have time and again formed impenetrable walls round those implicated in almost all the scandals in this country? It would be naïve of the public to expect politicians from a political party whose main plank of their political platform is to tear the PM into smithereens to support his course of action. It is ironical that in their populist formula they conveniently forget the President`s inaction in the fight against graft. It is time that they told the public why they are obsessed with directing the flak at the PM yet the President`s silence on corruption has been loud enough to be heard in all the four corners of this country!
They seem to conveniently forget that under the National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008, the ultimate political responsibility rests with the two principals. They have the power to dismiss any errant public officials below them. The public therefore expects these politicians to unflinchingly support the two principals in the coalition government in the fight against graft.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
Why don’t all Kenyans come up with the names of the corrupt …they are not that many, but they are sickening.
They steal without giving a thought. Go to marsgroup and find a list.
I think we should have zero tolerance. When you see how much a few individuals have robbed the country of, it is shameless.
Which person allows anyone to go free regardless of tribe? I am ready to see my tribesman go in with hard labor, and have all their stuff taken, even those of their family and friends, because those are the people who get it, when they want to hide it. So if you are a relative of a thief …report, lest you lose your well gotten riches. You hide a thief , you are one yourself. Let the govt start paying for information so everyone can be on their toes.
Lawyers who sell land that they know is govt owned and houses, should be in also, as they tricked their clients by not doing a search.
Bwana Francis, you are an asset to your country!!!!
Great many thanks for the most objective analysis of corruption in your country. Please allow me to build and add on to your take on this matter. Kenya is plagued with culture of corruption and tribal politics to boot. Everything from corruptions in election/voting to day light stealing of public resources is seen and done and often justified on tribal/ethnic politics…every body does it!
For those who are serious and care deeply on how culture of corruption and tribal politics has put strangle hold in political development in this country, please see Standard article Feb, 13 that describes how the suspended Mr. Mohammed Isahakia( PS) grew his empire by looting public funds in all the posts he held over the years.
The questions that you Kenyans should be asking yourselves, how did Mr. Isahakia find his way into your local papers expose his checkered past?. How long can people like Mr. Isahakia and many others rape and F**** up you and public coffers in this country in daily basis????????, how long can Kenya public be F*** up by these leaches, just because they belong to one: ethnic group, party, or a given region ????????.
In the best of my knowledge public resources belong to all Kenyans regardless of tribal groups, religious or party affiliations, and this should be paramount in judging corruption cases in this country.
Now Mr. Isahakia has been caught again with his “hands in the cookie jar”. My questions to you, what was Mr. Oginga and ODM thinking in bringing this “fox ( Mr. Isahakia) in the chicken coop ” again????. Where was Mr. Oginga’s ODM judgment in providing Mr. Isahakia the opportunity to steal from the public again after his known checkered past with public funds. Yes, eventually Mr. Issahakia will be let go one way or another, but the damage to the public funds has been done!!.
In 2002 Mr Issahakia was implicated in Sh.11.4 million scandal at the National Museum of Kenya. In 2004 KACC charged Mr. Isahakia and he paid Sh.2.5 million for NMK embellishment. ( see standard article, Feb 13)
Despite his checkered past in stealing public funds from NMK, Mr. Isahakia was still able to land PS post in the Environment Ministry where he was later let go in waves of public corruptions of funds under his watch. It has been said “cats have nine lives”, in Kenya public officials who know how to loot public funds have eighteen lives!! Ask your selves, despite all these thievery of public resources, how did Mr. Issahakia rise to his current PS post where “clouds of public corruption are again closing in on him one more time!!!!!!. The answer may lie on: culture of corruption and ethnic politics that is used as power base of excuse by almost all Kenya public officials WHO ARE CAUGHT STEALING RESOURCES FROM PUBLIC.
Mr. Issahakia current rise to power started in last Presidential election of 2007. He was appointed by Mr. Oginga’s ODM party to bring: ethnic, religion and regional balance to the party that was dominated by one ethnic group..whatever that means!!! .According to Standard paper, Mr. Oginga wanted ” the face of Kenya to be reflected in…the party.. that means vetting people like Mr.Isahakia was NOT NEEDED..his ethnicity was the key to being appointed by ODM!
How on earth can anybody in this country defend these public officials, whether they are ministers or PS or underlings in these ministries when they are engaged in stealing public funds?????. Being a member of one ethnic group, a party, family legacy or of wealth does not give any one license to steal public money with impunity. To those people who support these corrupt officials I say shame on you and you dearly deserve to be F*** up by these corrupt leaders/officials all the time!!!!
Without thorough vetting before these politicians get elected into the government or these PS get appointed to their posts, the orgy of looting public funds will NEVER end in this country. Kenya papers should be the vanguards of vetting and exposing these corrupt characters before they take oath of office, rather than telling us later after stealing public money!!!!
Yes, Standard and other papers are now telling us how corrupt the likes of Mr. Isahakia were, but where were they when this man was being groomed and appointed from post to post, despite his checkered record with public money?????????
I often wonder what the new constitution will do if there is no robust press in this country to expose these public officials before they get into the office. I would like to see the vetting process that include the qualifications bio, court record on public corruption, criminal background check on all public officials running or being appointed for public office in this country. Ethnic “bios” , party affiliations IS NOT ENOUGH TO GET ETHICAL PEOPLE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC!.
By the way, it is good to have contacts, and who you know in Kenya to grow your career. I wonder what qualifications Mr. Isahakia brought to all the PS posts he held in this country from a researcher with Institute of Primates..monkeys, gorillas, … any one!!!!!!!!!
PS. I see today that the PM has asked Mr. Ruto and . Ongeri to step aside from their posts while the investigation for their Ministries is moving forward. I bet in the coming days, this move by the PM will be turned into Tribal politics. Rather than looking into the facts that have led to their suspension, Ruto and Ongeri will be using victimization card to rally their ethnic groups for support. It will not be too long when delegations from these two gentlemen’s region makes their way to the President’s office to plead their case on how the PM is prosecuting their ethnic group!.
Based on my observation of Kenya politics from where I am sitting, the election of 2012 has just begun. the next headlines will read “the PM is trying to eliminate Ruto”..the alliances for 2012 will be formed in the next few days rather than addressing the issue at hand in a factual/legal way. Good luck Mr Francis .Kkeep us posted with your takes!!