Kenyans can slay the dragon of corruption once and for all

After 53 years of independence, we are down to only our fourth president.

A not-so-scientific but interesting attempt at listing the "most intelligent presidents in the US history" enumerates notable actions and decisions of some 27 of them who may have changed or stayed the nation on its course to becoming a superpower. It does not include the 44th, Barrack Obama.

Personality, decisiveness and various acts of valor, self-sacrifice and denouncing friends for greater public good are some of the manifest credentials.

We just celebrated Mashujaa Day though we seem to not really know who qualifies to be a hero. We listed individuals who have been exposed as villains in certain aspects and excluded others who are believed to be heroes.

Heroes are not saints. Former South African President Nelson Mandela admitted as much, confessing to having harbored some personal frailties and regrets.

He may have wisely chosen to rule for only a term and quit while still ahead before a second term would expose those weaknesses and diminish his stature.

Equally, among those US presidents are some who are rated highly, while others may not be so favored. Of some it has been quipped that if one "is intelligent and corrupt, (they) will be intelligently corrupt" being able to connive through their reign as the masses cheer you on.

This may be what is ailing our nation. Corruption in this country is not even intelligent, but politicians have discovered the one trump card that they can always play against the masses: tribalism.

Uhuru Kenyatta can preside over a dastardly corrupt government, but the Kikuyu in particular and others who are inclined towards him and his deputy have no choice but to suck up to their ineptness. He can brazenly tell the world that "there is nothing (he) can do" about corruption.

When his cohorts, right from the deputy to ministry bosses, are mentioned in corrupt deals, their cabals of tribal backers congregate and swear by the gods to defend them to the last man.

Their ill manners have so terribly infected county governments and public institutions the country over; there is almost not better alternative to them.

Even the Opposition that wishes to replace the Government is a motley collection of 'jilted lovers' whose own records of wheeler-dealing Jubilee is trying to out-do.

The eating during their stints in Government is still legendary and is now only salivating knowing what they are missing.

In the circumstances, the masses are resigning to their fate, many to their early graves, if the road carnage, ill-equipped health facilities and crime, just to mention a few, is anything to go by. Corruption is murder.

We have agreed that corruption is hydra-headed. Every time we think we have chopped off one head, two more vicious ones emerge. It even appears to have that immortal head that is almost impossible to slay.

Yet, the fact that Hercules still found a way to permanently slay that dragon means that we too can slay our own corruption dragon, but we must first find a Hercules willing to do the onus; Uhuru Kenyatta will not, he has said as much. May be he is just not willing – he probably was never willing, if another account of "How to measure for a president" is to be believed.

It points out that the attributes voters seek in their chief executive are honesty, consistency, good morals over and sound judgment. In our case, the jury is still out as to whether we got any of this.

Mr. President, you got power, exercise it! Disappoint a friend, appear belligerent; be bold, like a president.