The decade of twenty tens (2010s) that ends on 31st December 2019 and started on 1st January 2010 will go into the annals of Kenya’s history as the decade of the worst , and most pervasive corruption in the post-independence Kenya
Indeed one can rightly classify the abandon with which the corruption thrived and its mega scales in the decade and public fiscal banditry which was witnessed at both National and County Government levels as treason to the people of Kenya by the elected leaders and public servants. In the twenty tens decade, corruption in Kenya became normal. And who are the engines of corruption- “the public servants” at National Government level and “elected leaders” equally at National and County Government levels.
And where do the sovereign people of Kenya stand in this matter? Guilty as accomplices and recipients of the crumbs of corruption as they stood by and facilitated the entrenchment of corruption and public resources fiscal banditry. Beyond mere talk, they did nothing to reject, fight the corruption.
West Media states without any iota of fear of contradiction that in this ending decade the exponential riches accumulated by public servants, elected leaders and their cronies, sycophants, mistresses, families are directly proportional to the dire impoverishment of the majority of Kenyans at National and County levels courtesy of the rampant, unprecedented corruption and public fiscal banditry.
The curse of our times is that too many of us are prepared to be mesmerized, seduced, sedated by corruption and not ask the tough questions as to how those we entrust by law to govern us can con us, steal from us and honor them.
Yes, the decade is ending with President Uhuru Kenyatta talking tough on corruption but that remains tough talk, arrests and then the never to be seen conviction of those arraigned in court on corruption who only make shows in court as the drama of their being charged in court fades and they continue to enjoy the fruits of corruption.
Yes the DPP Haji and Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti have instilled some fear in the corruption game, business in our public sector but the question is when will the first pictures of those arraigned in court be seen as they head to Kamiti prison to start serving their jail sentences? Is it any soon or will it remain a game of musical chairs just like the Goldenberg scandal of the 90s and Anglo-Leasing of the 2000s that yielded no convictions but public resources were looted in billions.The proof of the fight on corruption is in convictions, repossession of looted public resources, period, nothing less.
Have we as a people, the resolve to tackle corruption and public fiscal banditry? West Media thinks not? Corruption having become a way of life in Kenya it requires extraordinary work beyond the DPP and the DCI to banish it from our midst. Corruption, yes is the greatest cancer that is eating, bleeding our beloved Nation. We must fight it together with its twin monster public misgovernance, public fiscal banditry in Government. Yes it is those we elect as our leaders and those we employ as our public servants who are at the core of the corruption industry and until we strike at them hardest, decisively, ruthlessly, the scourge will enter with us into the new decade of the twenty twenties(2020s) that starts on 1st January 2020.
As we fought the colonialists so we must fight and defeat the forces of corruption and it is harder now because the corruption involves your father, your mother, your brother, sister, aunt, uncle, son, daughter, wife name them. How dare we dream of overpowering corruption through mere talk and lip service? Where are the new tools, strategies, weapons to pulverize corruption? We do not see them. Please point them out. They have to be multi-prong and relentless. The decade of super corruption in Kenya is ending, how will we fare in the new decade? Time will tell.
