This Is To Kenya: A Country Where Corruption Is A Political FOOTBALL In A PREMIER LEAGUE Of Major Scandals – Guess Who Wins The Title
By Comrade Albert Nyakundi Amenya – The Banana Pedlar
That the Ababu Namwamba has been, or, is about to be shown the exit door at the Parliament Accounts committee for refusing to ‘eat’ with Duale, is no longer news. What worries the most is the boldness with which corruption has always fought back against those who have the unwise temerity to poke a finger in its ugly face, in the current dispensation.
Aside industrial and manpower development aided by the advancement in technology, nothing has help developed nations to attain their current status in the comity of nations like their strong battle against corruption.
Indeed, even countries that used to be below the radar in terms of development took on corruption head-on before that could get ahead. Such countries as Saudi Arabia, China, Malaysia, and United Arab Emirates are encompassed in this group.
The impending sacking of Ababu Namwamba is just one of those distractions employed for cover-up. But how many cover-ups will be enough to jolt Kenya back to her senses? Under the leadership of Jubilee coalition, we saw the Chicken Gate Scandal erupt, a fraud that amounted to hundreds of millions of shillings.
While foreigners caught in the act are languishing in jail in Britain, their Kenyan co-conspirators are still getting VIP treatment in public office.
It was just like yesterday that the Kibaki administration happily inherited the Anglo-Leasing project and nurtured it. Through the scam, the tax payer lost Ksh11 billion which went to build the stomach infrastructures of a few individuals. When you juxtapose this humongous sum with the projects carried out by other countries using the similar amount, it becomes clearer why our countrymen are among the most unfortunate in the world with their brand of rulers.
Add this to the Goldenberg Scandal, the ‘printing error’ Scandal by Uhuru Kenyatta, the Turkwel Hydro Electric Power, the Apex Finance Scandal, the Infotalent Security Scandal, the Naviga Capital Scam, the First Mechantile Scandal, the Claria Systems Inc, the Nedemar Scam, the Silverson Establishment, the LBA systems Scandal, and the Euromarine the Universal Satspace.
What of the many others that do not make it to the media? There must be something unique about Kenya and its ability to withstand this kind of reckless looting. I doubt if even the United States, whose economy is touted to be the strongest in the world, can withstand such a serial rape of its purse.
Sadly, our leaders gladly announce to its citizenry, by words and by body language, that it does not give a damn about all this. The invasion of public lands is what is: Just another one. And you can almost sense another one coming. But for how long are we going to continue like this? The President Kenyatta’s body language confirms he is comfortable with corruption. Ababu’s ouster exposes us as very unserious human beings.
Nonetheless, President Kenyatta must be made to understand that his silence to issues of corruption is doing a great damage to our economy and international image. If anything, it scares away potential investors. What the nation needs at this time is a clear-headed leadership that is resolute and puts the nation’s interest above personal, ethnical and political considerations. For this, it must muster massive political will.
The fight against corruption is critical to our nation’s very survival; it must, therefore, not pander to friend or foe, family or associate. Those who are jubilating over Ababu’s removal are the real enemies of the state. Pray, what future are we bequeathing to the coming generations? I shudder to consider it. For every patriotic Kenyan, this is the time to weep for their country.
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