Laptops saga must shame Jubilee, but is it last scam?

By Enock Onsando

Mombasa, Kenya: Cancellation of the multi-billion tender for the pupils’ laptops project, which was Jubilee government’s key campaign agenda, has not entirely come as a surprise to many Kenyans.

From the word go, one could detect that all was not well in the execution/implementation of this mega project. It’s also significant to remind Kenyans that there was no feasibility study done to evaluate viability of this monumental project.

Simply put, this was a ‘political project’ that was foisted by the country’s topmost leadership.

Such ‘political projects’ and other numerous ‘white elephant’ projects across the country are not only a drain on the scarce government resources but also affect the country’s macro-economic stability.

It is a national shame and disgrace to highlight the fact that, despite numerous and sometimes monotonous assurances from the Government that due process will be followed and the Kenyan taxpayer will get value for money, the laptop project has been cancelled due to massive malpractice.

This is a monumental blow and an embarrassment to the Jubilee Government.

The massive malpractice unearthed by the Public Procurement Administration Review Board speaks volumes about how mega projects in the country are now becoming a cash cow to a few senior government officials who are using there privileged positions to make a killing.

One can bet that this is not the last mega scandal as more are yet to be exposed.

The much hyped salary cuts by the President and his deputy will never be taken seriously by the Kenyan taxpayer as the move is considered as a public relations gimmick since it is inconsequential in bringing down the ballooning wage bill.

Meanwhile, as Kenyans debate the wage bill, there is another monster yet to be brought to the attention of the Kenyan taxpayer – and this is the country’s national debt.

The ever-increasing national debt is, to my humble opinion, more lethal and the overall consequences are devastating to the country’s macro-economic stability than the much hyped wage bill.

There is need to debate both issues concurrently and come up with concrete and viable solutions to these internal threats.