Of knowledge, public money and corruption in Kenya

NAIROBI: The Eurobond, fiscal and monetary policies, revenue, expenditure, budget balance, financing items, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the Public Finance and Management Act 2012 are commonplace in Kenyan parlance today.

Our Constitution gives the following as principles of public finance: openness and accountability, including public participation in financial matters; public finance system promoting an equitable society, and in particular, fair share of the tax burden; equitable share of national revenue among national and county governments; and expenditure, promoting the equitable development of the country including by making special provision for marginalised groups and areas.

Further, the burdens and benefits of the use of resources and public borrowing are expected to be shared equitably between present and future generations, in addition to public money being used in a prudent and responsible way.

Finally, fiscal reporting must be clear. This elaborate guidance notwithstanding, Kenyans across all walks of life still seem to see public funds as an excellent opportunity for our many tenderpreneurs.

In the first and the second governments, the most lucrative business opportunity seems to have been getting contracts to either supply goods or services to the government at inflated prices or make a killing on fictitious tender supplies and purchases.

Already, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has declared that 70 per cent of all corruption in the country is related to procurement.

How, then, should we perceive public funds? One way is to consider how funds flow into the public purse.

A collection of monies from a young man who has taken out a loan to buy a motor cycle as a business venture will most likely end in debt operations; to procure a license and insurance so as to operate as a boda boda.

This will end up as revenue for the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

A woman going to hospital after feeling a swelling on her left breast pays for consultation and after numerous tests, is diagnosed with cancer.

The money she and her family have is used for treatment which sadly is revenue for the hospital, joining the monies collected by the taxman.

A sugar farmer’s cane costs him by the way of implements, but that is before his earnings are further taxed at pay, once again feeding national coffers.

An educated, young temporary worker selling bank accounts or insurance policies endures a long day with dry lips, trying to convince a sceptical public to buy his wares to meet his daily target, all for a wage that will also be taxed.

From the foregoing, the taxes that make up our revenue are thereafter used in the procurement of development projects, payment of salaries, and to repay our internal and external debts.

As such, the government cannot be a bottomless pit of never-ending monies. Government money is a collection of the blood, sweat and tears of the diverse Kenyan population.

Squandering this money, therefore, will amount to subjecting present and future generations to an additional tax burden and less of its expected benefits.

Why, then, do we expect leaders and government officials to give us money as gifts and donations?

Why do we bribe government officials for tenders?

Why do we bribe the police on our roads? Why do we bribe some journalists for our stories to be published and broadcast programmes to be aired?

Clearly, we are on the supply side of graft, and the ‘mali ya umma’ perspective is not doing us any good. At this rate, will we ever achieve our Vision 2030; our shared national goal.

The war on crime should be a collective effort, and we each need to own this war.

We are the custodians of Vision 2030, and must get ‘Kenya right’ for future generations.