How To Fight and Win the War Against Corruption

Kenya seems to be officially a looting paradise. Hardly a day passes without a scandal being reported. It is as though it is normal. Corruption is slowly becoming part of us.

In the past, people used to steal public funds in thousands. They graduated and started stealing in hundreds of thousands. They moved a step higher and started looting in millions. Now they are in the top league; they are looting in billions.

There are some efforts being put in place to fight corruption. However, the said war seems to be a series of PR gimmicks being displayed to hoodwink Kenyans that “something is being done.”

The war has also been politicized. In fact, President Uhuru Kenyatta seems to be alone in the fight against corruption. His Deputy thinks the war is to derail his ambitions of being the president of the Republic of Kenya.

How can the war against corruption be fought and won effectively?

Separating corruption from politics

Currently, there is a thin line between corruption and politics. Some politicians within and without government think that the fight against corruption is about them. The deputy president has come out, guns blazing, claiming that the war is not about corruption but him.

Having strong institutions

Kenya does not need strong leaders. It needs strong institutions. The war against corruption will be won if the country will have strong institutions.

At the moment, the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the Office of Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) seems to be fighting corruption but not the Judiciary.

The Judiciary has been blamed for “going to bed” with the corrupt through giving of various court injunctions and releasing of suspects on bails.

The war against corruption needs all the institutions involved to work together. In this case, the DCI, EACC, ODPP and all the other three arms of government must work together.

The media

Media has a big role to play in the fight against corruption. Media is the watchdog of the society.

Media needs to tell people the truth. The mainstream media has the power to unearth the ills of corruption and bringing them on the surface.

The Daily Nation newspaper, for instance, is one of the media outlets that widely reported on corruption scandals. Of all the headlines containing corruption in Kenya, the newspaper has accounted for most of them.

Media needs to be neutral. It should effectively report what is happening on both sides of the fence. It is only through media that Kenyans will be able to know whatever is happening.

The anger of Kenyans

Kenyans need to get angry. At the moment, Kenyans are not angry enough and this has given a leeway for looters to carry out their dubious businesses.

More than 5 trillion shillings have been looted since the Jubilee government came to power and most Kenyans are not even surprised.

Kenya loses a total of one trillion shillings every year to corruption with those involved still holding powerful positions within the government.

Kenyans need to show this government that enough is enough. Kenyans need to rise up and protect their taxes. They need to get angry.

Arresting and jailing the culprits

The reason why corruption is so rampant in Kenya is that nobody has ever been jailed for stealing public resources.

People are stealing billions of shillings and then use part of it to buy their freedom. Things would be different if some people were jailed for life for economic crimes.

Corruption should be made a capital offense. People found guilty should either be sentenced to life in prison or sentenced to death.

If two or three of these looters will be hanged or jailed for life, other players will fear.