The beans have spilled on the NYS scandal. It seems that not only was CS Waiguru the grand architect of the scheme, she had as her accomplices representatives of almost every profession in the country. From investigators to bankers, business-people, lawyers and even journalists, every one was in for the big feast.
Government is mega-corrupt, with all three arms being rotten to the core. Tunoi was the proof of how far gone the Judiciary is, a song the CJ has been singing a while now. Parliamentary committees like the Ababu led one are themselves examples of how MPs have become crusaders of graft. And the Executive? Well, thatās where the partyās at. Its where the fat pig gets slaughtered. Where the plump chicken gets plucked. And those lucky enough to be invited get to eat to their fill. In fact after the whole debacle around Waiguru, including the accelerated clearance by the EACC, and unwavering presidential support she receivedā¦ its hard to believe there are any clean players in this game. Not even the head honcho himself, despite award winning public performances.
Corruption has eaten its way into the heart of Kenyan society. Every single branch and institution of government is completely compromised. It permeates every aspect of society. It is engaged in by the tycoon at the top of the pyramid, to the peasant at the lower end. And lets be honest, no one is involved or even interested in eradicating it. Not the politicians, not merchants, not the media, and definitely not the common people. Everyone finds use for it when it suits their purpose. In a way it has come to become an essential cog in the wheel, without which the system would not work.
Think how many cars would have to leave the road, if traffic cops went clean. Or how long court cases would drag, if justice was not for sale. Or how many licences to operate businesses would be denied if City Hall refused rot. All of these things have economic implication. People talk about the cost of corruption. What they donāt talk about is the cost of fighting corruption. And if we are being honest, non of us is ready to pay that cost.
I put it to you that we are helplessly dependent on corruption to function as a society. In fact if corruption was to stop for a single day, our economy would be critically endangered. Even though you may not be aware, you need it from when you leave your house in the morning to when you get back in the evening. It is what allows you to travel what allows you to work, what gets food to your plate, what keeps you safe. Think about it and you will see where corruption comes in along the value chains of all these things. Corruption is the sun around which our society revolves. It is no longer a vice, simply a way of life.
Perhaps its time we stopped ostracizing it and started identifying ways in which it can be healthily engaged in.