My Simplistic Governance Roadmap!

I believe the President and his deputy ("dynamic duo" à la Ubako) have a God-sent opportunity to not only reshape the destiny of this nation but to change the perspective that the international community, their detractors and the civil society have about them. If I had the chance to be either of them I would focus on a number of issues.

One of the areas that I would focus on is National Healing and Cohesion. The country underwent a very divisive campaign and electoral period and in some quarters the emotions are still very high after they lost out in the plebiscite and the subsequent petition. The nation has also since the colonial time undergone some very difficult times during which a lot of injustices were committed by the ruling elite and their cohorts. Urgent national healing is required so that the supporters of those that lost out can feel that indeed they are still part of this great Nation. I would thus recommend a Peace, Healing and Cohesion Initiative to be undertaken by the current constitutional bodies that we have in place such as NCIC, TJRC, KHREC, CAJ and NGEC. I would also ensure that the TJRC commission report is speedily received (this has already happened), released to the public in its entirety (thanks to the commission we don’t have to wait for the president to do so) and recommendations of the report put into action of course through public involvement and participation (with main political players across the divide adversely mentioned I await to see delivery of justice and reconciliation). I would also ensure that other reports by commissions of inquiry are released for public consumption and recommendations adequately addressed. As a way of addressing historical injustices and bringing about national healing, I would also embark on speedy resettlement of all genuine IDPs and ensure they are appropriately and adequately compensated for their losses.

RETROGRESSIVE FORCES PLACE HURDLES ON THE PATH TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION

Since its promulgation, the new constitution has faced several hurdles in its implementation and this has only left many of us wondering whether our political leadership is committed to the implementation of the new laws. Just recently a cabinet minister argued that Kenya under the new constitution is like a baby that is learning to crawl; this was in defense as to why he had not adhered to the stipulations as set out in regard to public participation in preparing the budget. This is just an argument from a very ignorant and arrogant point of view which should be treated with all the ignorance it deserves. The Kenyan nation was born when we attained our independence from the British and we have been crawling since. The clamor for a new constitution was thus necessary for the nation to start walking and eventually takeoff in speedy social-economic development and growth. The argument was just another illustration of how ignorant many of our political leaders are. Kenya has been on its knees for 48 years which can only be attributed to poor governance and lack of accountability and prudence in the use of public funds.

DEAL WITH CASES OF CORRUPTION DECISIVELY

An American professor opined that corruption has a considerable effect on our lives because it is all around us. He continued to say that the emphasis on getting rich, no matter how, is so tremendous that it influences virtually every aspect of the society. This desire to get rich is driven by greed; the greed for money, greed for property and greed for wealth. That is why people will go to all extremes to acquire any piece of land or any other property they come across regardless of who it belongs to. These land grabbers have not spared our forests too. The forest cover has been depleted so low that even areas that never used to experience drought are now experiencing it. It is common knowledge that our forests have been destroyed by the same people who are supposed to be championing for our rights; either by allocating themselves pieces of land in the forest or by displacing the poor from their land and driving them into the forest lands. People have become so materialistic that they would even kill their kin just to get a bigger portion of property than what they rightly deserve. It is this same greed that is carried into our institutions. Our forests, our road reserves and land meant for public amenities have all been lost in the frenzy to amass wealth.

WIKILEAKS - HOW TRUE IS THIS?

For the past few weeks the whistleblower site Wikileaks has been publishing US diplomatic cables from all over the world. Kenya and its leadership have not been spared either. The cables have been too blunt in their description of world leaders. Our very own have been described as “old guard” and the country has been described as a haven of corruption and drug trafficking. I therefore do understand the fury of the President and the Right Honorable Prime Minister as regards to the leaked US diplomatic cables which have cast aspersions as to their commitment to the reform agenda. But on the other hand they should be grateful to the Wikileaks publishers for bringing to light how the US foreign policy/diplomacy works. However let’s not forget the content of the leaked cables. The cables would not have been published at a more opportune time than now when the country is grappling with the problems of drugs trafficking and corruption at the highest levels. Rather than engage in public mud-smearing competition with the US ambassador, the two Principals should be convening meetings with security chiefs and anti-corruptions tsars to deliberate on how these two problems will be dealt with once and for all.

DOES LOW PAY REALLY LEAD TO CORRUPTION?

Many have argued that corruption abounds in our institutions due to meager salaries paid to the employees; others have argued differently. Looking at the case of Kenya, the most high profile cases of corruption have been perpetuated by high ranking government officials in collusion with well oiled business men hence its hardly a case of meager salaries. We also have heard of cases where persons who hardly had meals for the next day have returned substantial amounts of money which did not belong to them. If then the argument that meager pay/wages leads to corruption these persons would not even have had a second thought on whether to return the money or not. Another case in point is that of the famous Goldenberg whistle-blower who died out of lack of money to cater for his medical expenses. Again if really pay induces one to engage in corrupt practices this man would have had greater motivation to do so than the actual Goldenberg crooks.

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.