It’s a shame Kenyans have now turned into top thieves

By Charles Mulila
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This week, Kenyans were ranked among the top world thieving people in a survey that surprised few.  The survey, conducted by Audit firm pricewaterhousecoopers elucidated how gullible Kenyans have out marathoned  fellow Africans to the  unenviable position of being rated among the greediest people in the planet. Based on imperical facts and research, few people will  question the authenticity of this new low in our society.

After all, it is only in Kenya where  non existent gold is exported and compensation paid, crude oil disappears from giant tanks without trace, and witnesses fake evidence or do the disappearing act, all in the interest of governance.

And even those feigning denial about this development need not be chasticed. Because we possess the peculiar habit of denying whatever is not in tandem with our psche. Based on  trending news as reported in the media this week, we run the risk of sinking even further in the thieving list of shame. On the day the story broke, all the leading papers had splashed an anchor story about the economic battle unfolding between Senators and Members of Parliament in one hand and the besieged Governors. Needlessly, the fight has roped in the judiciary, the political elite and predictably the civil society.

The media predictably laid bare the real battle lines-that of control of devolved funds being administered by Governors as the legislators gleefully watch.

The jury is still out there as each side is playing victim. A peep in the not so distance past could shed some light.  Majority of the current senators were either MPs during the life of the Tenth Parliament or Senior Civil Servants in the then amorphous coalition Government.

Save for the nominated folks, the rest had ‘tasted’ power and influence through administration of CDF funds or as vote holders of various Government ministries.

So when the time to vote under a new constitutional order, it would appear most of those seeking various elective positions never cared to read about the job description of their offices.

Senator candidates were excited that they will have the power to impeach the Presidency, while exercising total control of the  Governors. It was the dream job for aging political wazees out to have one last say in their twilight political life.

But they forgot one thing .That they were not part of the quorum for disbursing development funds for the very counties they planned to peddle influence.

Governors, their County Cabinet and County Clerks were the power to the throne in all matters devolution including cash.

Initially, there was a misguided thought that unstructured dialogue and a little arm twisting will drive some sense into the heads of ‘spendthrift’ Governors as gullible Mps like to call them. Nothing doing. The ever noisy MPs were also on the Governor’s prowl. So were some power wielding brokers in the corridors of the Executive.