Political witch-hunt regressive

Nairobi Governor candidate Johnson Sakaja. As Sakaja was dragged to court for alleged use of a fake degree certificate from Uganda, other aspirants whose degrees were questioned have been cleared.

Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo I Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • More claims have been made of fake degrees by aspirants to gain clearance to vie for political seats than before.
  • The challenges Keroche Breweries faces in relation to outstanding tax could be misconstrued as another case of a witch-hunt.
  • Government agencies should take a leaf from the Director of Prosecution’s book and resist being used by political forces to witch-hunt opponents during the electioneering period.

You know there is a general election when political aspirants disappear, are shot dead or their bank loans are recalled at short notice.

This year is no different. The only addition is that the degree requirement has become another way in which opponents are frustrated.

There are a number of aspirants whose academic credentials have been questioned.

More claims have been made of fake degrees by aspirants to gain clearance to vie for political seats than before.

Even the aspirants who previously vied using fake degrees have found themselves in hot water after switching allegiances.

Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja’s degree saga has elicited more questions than answers as to how government agencies tasked with vetting and clearance of individuals to public office carry out their work.

Selective pursuit of justice

There seems to be a selective pursuit of suspects of the use of fake academic papers to gain employment.

Two women were recently found guilty, but not one politician.

As Sakaja was dragged to court for alleged use of a fake degree certificate from Uganda, other aspirants whose degrees were questioned have been cleared.

Even those without a degree are now on the ballot.

A man who admitted that his ‘allergy’ to the English language stopped him from contributing to Parliamentary debates is an example of aspirants alleged to have fake degree certificates but sailed through.

Another one, incidentally, could not use her ‘degree’ to attend a televised gubernatorial debate for fear of being unmasked.

I am not suggesting that Sakaja should not be questioned about his alleged fake degree but, in the spirit of fairness, all aspirants, across parties, who have been fingered as having fake degrees should have been put under the same scrutiny.

'Witch-hunt'

The challenges Keroche Breweries faces in relation to outstanding tax could be misconstrued as another case of a witch-hunt.

Things just seem to have gotten worse after the owner, Mrs Tabitha Karanja, decided to vie for a political seat.

KRA ratcheted up their pursuit for tax arrears from the brewery in the past few months—perhaps more than they did in the seven years they claim the amount was owed.

Seven years is a long time to allow a business not to pay tax and then pursue the same in lumpsum during elections.

KRA is to blame for sleeping on the job or allowing their officials to ‘sit’ on Keroche files.

Even if the discovery of outstanding tax was made only recently, closing down the business does not help the cause. It seems suspicious and a vindictive act.

Suspicious and an overreach

The Finance Act 2022, which gives KRA powers to close businesses, is equally suspicious and an overreach.

The taxman’s tunnelled motive has denied hundreds of workers at Keroche their livelihoods.

The current harsh economic climate calls for restraint and support for businesses to keep people employed.

Government agencies should take a leaf from the Director of Prosecution’s book and resist being used by political forces to witch-hunt opponents during the electioneering period.

It is not just academic certificates or businesses that become tools for a witch-hunt.

There was also a case of breach of privacy of an individual seeking political office, where his sexual tryst was made public.

These dirty tricks and witch-hunts undermine democracy. It is also cowardly.

Only aspirants unsure of themselves would stoop too low as to dredge up dirt and destroy their opponents’ livelihoods and character.

Unfair tactics

Power does corrupt but it should not be allowed to corrupt society through the use of unfair tactics to derail opponents’ chances in politics.

Violence, hate speech and deaths reported during elections seem to be the issues that concern the country the most but unfair tactics are just as damaging to our democracy.

It does not create a level playing field and must be outlawed to protect all aspirants.

The past tactic of using banks to recall loans suddenly from opponents left aspirants and their families struggling financially. 

Shutting down opponents’ businesses or undermining their livelihoods is regressive and can only negatively affect the economy. 

If political parties vie on the ethos of job creation and building the economy, why undermine an opponent’s business?

There must be a mechanism to protect the businesses and personal interests of those vying for political seats.

Perhaps, we also need to review the degree requirement for politicians to minimise the use of fake academic papers and to tackle witch-hunts.

In any case, not all constituencies can produce graduates, given our unequal education standards.

Kenya is not that mature as to demand degrees from political aspirants if we still have areas with poor education facilities.

Lack of integrity is our biggest challenge. There is nowhere that is more evident than in our political sphere.

There is a need to cultivate integrity in our political culture that would make elections fair and credible.

The political witch-hunt is anathema to integrity.

Ms Guyo is a legal researcher. [email protected]. @kdiguyo