The Corrupt Now Want Immunity Against Impunity: The Case of Kenyan Governors

Kenya should be placed among the Seven Wonders of the World when it comes to corruption. Kenyan politicians never cease to amaze when it comes to clear amplification and display of impunity.

The recent war on corruption (which many people still believe it is just a national PR exercise), seems to have rattled the big snakes the wrong way and they are now ready to bite.

It all started with the dramatic arrest of those who were believed to be the masterminds of the scandal in the National Youth Service, where more than 9 billion shillings are believed to have disappeared mysteriously.

Most of the suspects have since been released on bail with a few still in police custody after their bank accounts were suspended making it difficult for them to access funds for bail.

As forgetful as we are, Kenyans are slowly putting the NYS saga behind their back. They have been more into the ongoing World Cup in Russia, perhaps they will come back to the issue once the World Cup is over.

There has been a number of scandals in the recent past, most of which are slowly going under the carpet such as the Kenya Pipeline saga, the Irrigation Board saga, the Ministry of Health saga, the Kenya Power saga among others.

What many Kenyans have failed to capture, however, is the massive corruption and looting of public resources that is going down in county governments.

When devolution came into being, Kenyans thought that at last, proper services had moved from ‘Nairobi’ right to where they were. Little did they know that what devolution was creating were small lords and gods of corruption.

READ: Top 13 Corruption Scandals Under the Jubilee Government

The looting in the counties is at an overwhelming level with most governors using public funds for both personal gains as well as enriching their friends and families.

Earlier this month, the Director of Public Prosecution, Noordin Haji, pulled the first surprise on the small gods, the governors by arresting the Governor of Busia County, Sospeter Ojaamong for taking part in the loss of 20 million shillings.

The governor had to spend some two days in a police cell before he was released on bail. After his release, his colleagues under the umbrella of Council of Governors, have come up, guns blazing, breathing fire and sounding warnings to the central government.

READ: A Legacy of Corruption: 5.3 Trillion Shillings Allegedly Stolen Since 2013 Under the UhuRuto Administration.

The governors are now demanding for immunity against their impunity. They argued through their Chairman Josphat Nanok that they need a similar immunity to that granted to the President in civil and criminal proceedings.

The governors quoted Article 1 (4) (a, b) which states that the sovereign power of the people is exercised at – (a) the national level and (b) the county level. What these leaders forget is that the constitution does not mention corruption as part of the sovereign power.

In other words, the governors want to be protected as they steal and loot public resources. This should not be allowed to happen.