Kenya needs a Duterte to slay corruption monster

I am surprised at the outcry about the alleged possible loss of Sh5 billion to corrupt deals at the Ministry of Health. I am not writing this in defence of my village-mate, Dr Nicholas Mwangi Muraguri, with whom I hazily remember playing and hunting hares along with my older brother back in the village.

My point is that as a country, we are swimming in the ocean of corruption and only the degree of involvement differs, dictated by our station in society and the system, both in the government and the private sector.

As I have previously said, we Kenyans are to blame for this dragon that is now spewing the fire currently scorching our institutions, lives, and development. We are behind the monster’s conception, birth, and nurturing. And now we are reaping the fruits of our sins.

Do not be deceived that it is only the government that has been breastfeeding this animal called corruption. The opposition, preachers, private companies, civil society, and even helpless Wanjiku are all party to nurturing unstoppable corruption.

Those in positions of power, be it in the civil service or the corporate world, bear the biggest responsibility in the perpetuation of the runaway graft that threatens the foundations of our country.

Most people think their positions are opportunities to amass wealth and the consequences be damned — because in many cases there are no consequences. They interpret projects as God-given chances to fatten their bank accounts, drive top-of-the-range fuel guzzlers, build palaces in the leafy suburbs, and live luxurious lives.

These people never take a second to consider the plight of children who miss vaccinations and may, therefore, die before the age of five, the mothers who lose their lives for lack of maternity services, or the farmers who are not able to get their produce to the market because the money meant to upgrade roads has ended up in the stomachs of a few greedy individuals.

NOT BLINK

We have come to a point where even previously respected social institutions such as the clergy, the Judiciary, and elders, which are expected to offer moral guidance and rebuke the wayward, have fallen prey to the allure of the fruits of corruption. And they will not blink as they deliver injustice.

Therefore, there are no lesser devils in this curse of corruption that we have brought upon ourselves. All of us are to blame; the only difference may be the degree of culpability. That is why the furore about the lost billions is all hot air. Those complaining the loudest are the same people who will in the next minute bribe a traffic police officer to avoid arrest for breaking the law. The politicians shouting the loudest will soon demand millions in bribes to give nomination certificates to unpopular candidates in the General Election or ask for kick-backs from private companies to scuttle a Bill in Parliament.

Even Wanjiku is not innocent in this saga of corruption. She is the one who subtly and openly encourages her sons and daughters to make a quick buck so that they can build her a decent house to enable her to brag to her friends in the village about how her children are doing well. She chides the son who seems not too eager to get rich through corrupt deals and will borrow money to buy her child a job.

BREAK CURSE

Now that it is settled that most of us, including the investigators, prosecutors, jury, and the executioner, are entangled in the web of corruption choking our country, the question is: how can we break the curse, given that many have tasted the sweetness of easy wealth and are unwilling to let go?

In my view, we need a Kenyan Rodrigo “Rody” Roa Duterte to slay this monster. The Filipino president, who was elected in May this year, promised during the campaign, to confront the nation’s drug trade through extreme and violent measures, which won him a landslide electoral victory. He has since waged a brutal war targeting drug dealers and users. Recent reports indicate that about 4,000 drug peddlers and users have been killed by police and vigilantes.

Our Duterte does not need to go to the extreme of encouraging extrajudicial killing of suspects, but he should lead the way in passing laws and systems that seal escape routes for corrupt people. He should ensure that we have laws and systems that are merciless to the corrupt. He should be a revolutionary who can rally the country to hate and fear all types or corruption. This country needs such a leader to bring back better services, development, and the rule of law. 

Peter Ngare is editorial administration manager, Nation Media Group.

[email protected]