Only respect for a value system can end graft

The best way to solve the whole puzzle of corruption is to sanitise the value system and redefine it to fit the behavioural and cultural absurdities within our society that cleanse and uphold it.

It would be easy to talk about what fuels corruption (that’s greed and need, among others) but we forget to mention what sires it; which, to me, remains and will remain the rotten value system. If you bribe your daughter to stop crying, is that need or greed? If you lie to be affirmed, is that greed or need? I don’t know.

People, let us preach virtue and live by it; that’s the only way out of corruption. It’s the only thing each of us practises on a daily basis but still hate others for practising it better. That is because we wish we had a chance to do it better than the others. There is no theory about it — until we make sacrifices to become the martyrs of good values that the next generation will cherish to inherit.

Let’s start living by the right values from homes where we come from, workplaces and so on. I know it’s a difficult journey, considering that those whom we appreciate for the position of mentors and role models are, unfortunately, compromised. Some are actually rotten to the core, in that they even celebrate and canonise us when we tread on the wheel of corruption — a scenario being where a thief is appreciated with a noble job for ‘noble’ theft in a political context.

Churn out good values

Let us shun corruption through action, by churning out good values in all our engagements. We shall win the war if we stop pretending to be saints and see others as sinners or demons.

We will write several articles on various scripts of graft cases but, until we become the change that we want to see, the rest will be absurd theatrics in its cul de sac of the war on corruption.

Lead by example, remembering that it all falls and rises in leadership.

Mr Okello is a health practitioner. [email protected].