Corruption! A chronic cancerous disease that is slowly and rapidly eating away our country. No day passes without reading over the social or the main stream media of how this ‘disease’ is seriously eroding our culture. Kenyans are all up in arms against corruption but why is it proving hectic to end?
Yet even when presented with better choices at the ballot, we still make poor choices and end up complaining again. It sounds very hypocritical.
Unfortunately, these honest servants have no honour in their community if they seek political or such other influential positions in our society because they don’t have the money or the means.
At times when I see people complaining about their leaders, be they politicians or government bureaucrats anywhere in the world, I really get baffled and quite often really pissed off.
The cries from the public at times reminds me of one of the famous quotes from Winston Churchill, a one-time British Premier and a World War Two War hero as a leader: “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter’’.
This statement has deep insights on the problems we have with voting anywhere in the world. But this is not to say undemocratic regimes are any better. It is even worse.
If you deeply study the communist or socialist states that have never or did not entertain democratic elections or used rigged or selected leadership particularly during the Cold War, you can tell the rot in them is worse and quite often terrible. What am I alluding to? Democracy is not perfect just that it is better than any system so far developed by human for governance. But still, it has plenty of imperfections.
In Kenya today the cries over corruption in the national government and in the counties are too loud though maybe not enough. That Kenya has experienced some of the worst forms of corruption over time is not in doubt. Coupled with the cancer of tribalism, clannism, nepotism, favouritism and such, it is a country that has suffered and still suffering some of the worst forms of human rights abuses in terms of denying citizens economic opportunities, rights, goods and services and poor development?
Yet even when presented with better choices at the ballot, we still make poor choices and end up complaining again. It sounds very hypocritical. But if you dig deeper into our society, the culture in itself endears itself to a lot of corruption and abuse by those with power or opportunities. An honest civil or public servant is unlikely to amass as much opulence as we are seeing in some cases today. So in essence, if many of these workers would be honest and be persons of integrity, the majority would ordinarily live a simple and modest lifestyle.
Unfortunately, these honest servants have no honour in their community if they seek political or such other influential positions in our society because they don’t have the money or the means. In the eyes of most Kenyans, these people who do not become so wealthy due to their modest wealth after working so hard and honestly are either lazy, visionless or ‘hawajui kuchora’ (they do not know how ton scheme for wealth).Compared to those who misuse their positions or power grow illicitly wealth theses have no space in the public eye.
They are deemed not to deserve any much of honour or have nothing more to offer society.Hardly do these honest workers get past by in terms of competition for influential positions. Instead in most parts of this country, the electorate is likely to reward the corrupt with more power and influence. After all in Kenya money and wealth of whatever shade buys power, influence and positions. Then hypocritically the cries for justice after being swindled or robbed through this very power become the order of the day. This is not limited to some areas or few positions.
There are problems in non-political and non-governmental positions. Abuse of power even in religious institutions (very unfortunate), saccos, land buying companies, Chamas and so on is the order of the day.
Does Kenya stand a chance to rid itself the culture of corruption? A tall order! However, it has to be done else the country collapses.