In these politically mercurial times that we are living in, we must not sugarcoat things. That is why I must say that this lifestyle audit will be a total failure to launch.
Interrogating politicians accumulation of wealth will end up being three things: untruthful, sensationalized and counter-productive.
First, it will be untruthful because nothing will come out of it.
In a capitalist economy where everyone is free to borrow, be gifted, hustle and innovatively expand their wealth - one can very easily explain and prove the legitimacy of their affluence.
Even a regular mwananchi like myself can be resourceful. If my own humble lifestyle were to be audited, I would get creative. Because I wouldn’t want people to know that I borrowed money to buy my shiny red Volkswagen Golf, I will say and prove that I saved for it.
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It would only take a little help from my clever friend, a recent CPA II, to creatively present my pristine accounts.
My life of borrowing, begging, defaulting loans and living beyond my means will not see the light of day. So why waste time with influential politicians whose accountants are more resourceful than my CPA II friend? What purpose will it serve? It will if anything be a waste of time and money.
Secondly, it will be sensationalized and weaponized. These lifestyle audits will be used as political weapons aimed at weakening opponents that have nothing to do with the actual fight against corruption.
It will be story time for Kenyans about the unreasonably wealthy who stole our money since 1960 so that they can take their daily baths in tubs of champagne, fly choppers to do their groceries and eat gold plated samosas.
Reluctant admiration, serve to glorify thievery further. It will serve as inspiration for hopeless youth to get rich by any means possible.
Thirdly, it will be counter-productive. We know the results. The results will be nothing. Zero.
Retrospective justice is futile. If we cannot deal with the here and now - we want to go back to 1960 to do what? We already know that the Kenyan state was constructed as an extractive industry - to accumulate for the leadership.
There will be no new discoveries there, and if there are - the answer is so what? What will be done about it? Kenyatta resigns because his father acquired land?
Put energy in how we can plug the gaps now. Systemic reforms that can curb the hemorrhage. Deterrent factors that make it expensive to have ‘sticky fingers’ when in public service.
If something is not useful, it SHOULD be done away with, but if it is counter-productive it MUST be done away with. You deal with the past when you are already forward-looking.
- The writer is a PhD candidate in Political Economy at SMC University. maritim.dc@gmail.com
