TAMING THE DEADLY BEAST – CORRUPTION: Fight with renewed vigour!!!

The World Bank defines governance as the manner in which public officials and institutions acquire and exercise the authority to shape public policy and provide public goods and services. The World Bank further identifies six indicators of good public governance which include: control of corruption; voice and accountability; rule of law; government effectiveness; and quality of regulation and political stability.

The Kenyan government has been found wanting especially in the area of controlling corruption. Various government officials have been variously mentioned in corruption cases. Some have so far left their plum positions as investigation are carried out on these allegations. Others are still sitting tight hoping that the ghosts of corruption that are lurking in their closets will remain there. Let all who have in one way or another swindled the taxpayer of their hard-earned money be warned that their days are numbered.

EFFECTS OF CORRUPTION

Transparency International (TI) defines corruption as the “misuse of entrusted power for private gain”.  They further define “private gain” to include gains accruing to an economic actor’ close family members, political party and in some cases to an independent organization or charitable institution in which the economic actor has a financial or social interest. Corruption maybe manifested in the following ways: bribery of local or foreign government officials and private companies, fraud, bid submission fraud, embezzlement, theft, collusion among bidders, bribery of parliamentarians and so many more. In Kenya we have seen the manifestation of all these forms of corruption. Corruption has an effect on so many areas in an economy.

Corruption and socio-economic conditions of a nation: Socio-economic factors include the wealth of a country, the distribution of national income and how the public revenues are invested in the overall structure of the state, which fundamentally shapes the quality of life of the population. When funds that are meant for development projects such building of health facilities or for provision of basic amenities such as water and sanitation facilities are diverted to the pockets of a few individuals, it is the general populace that suffers.