Impunity
and corruption has the tendency of fighting back. This is very common in Kenya
and many other developing countries.
One
only needs to look at how interviews for candidates seeking public offices are
conducted and winners selected to see the rot in the system.
Unlike
in the developed countries where political office attracts intense scrutiny, in
Kenya and largely the African continent, the focus on candidates is quite
casual or outright indifferent.
The
conduct and integrity of the candidates is never meticulously analyzed to
determine whether they are fit to hold office or not.
Candidates’
source of income is rarely interrogated. In any case in Kenya, ill-gotten
wealth is perceived as a source of might and power.
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A
person of means is quite respected in spite of the source of his wealth.
It
does not matter the legality of the source of wealth, but that he/ she is
wealthy is enough quality for him/ her to access the high table of social
nobility.
Democracy
as a system of governance espouses the rule of the people by the people through
popular will of the people by means of universal suffrage.
It
is a system that offers candidates willing to compete for office an equal
opportunity through campaigning to attract as many votes as possible by
convincing the people to place votes in their favor in order to qualify them
ascend to power.
These
are often senior citizens who have retired after a long stint in the public or
private service.
Because
of the prestige and monetary gain that goes with holding these offices,
individuals get to bask in the prestige, privilege and monetary compensation
for serving and other attendant gains from the wield of power.
In
typical political speak, these aspirants will site a call to serve the people
as to the reason they make their quest for power.
It
is no secret, however, that much as aspiring leaders make the claim to
motivation for serving the people to a calling, it is obvious that ascendance
to office is clearly a clamor for riches. It is not easy to understand how fast
a newly elected leader is able to accumulate obscene wealth in a very short
time.
It
is, therefore of concern that people of dubious character are attracted to
State offices for selfish reasons.
People
who have defrauded the government and other prestigious organizations offer
their candidature to elective offices because they can easily afford it.
They
are ever ready to splash their resources on the gullible electorate to get
elected.
They
also recognize that while in office they can short-change the course of
justice.
These
are some of the inherent weaknesses of democracy.
Once
State machinery fails or is unable to filter criminal elements from the
electoral process; that system is as well as doomed.
Democracy
is defeated when a country such as Kenya allows people who have corrupt records
to vie for elective positions.
But
in all fairness, Kenya is not doing too badly though.
The
police, Office of the Public Prosecutor, anti-corruption agencies such the
Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and Independent Electoral and Boundaries
Commission need to live up to expectation and shame the devil of impunity.