Flog Them Naked: One Stroke for Every Shilling Stolen or Death, Whichever Comes First

If Kenya truly desires to be the “Singapore of Africa,” then let us embrace the full package—not just the glitzy economy, but also the uncompromising, merciless war on corruption. Singapore did not become a first-world country by giving thieves government appointments or by treating corruption as a minor inconvenience. No, they did it by ensuring that corrupt officials were either behind bars, bankrupted into oblivion, or dead. Lee Kuan Yew did not entertain nonsense. He made it very clear: steal from the people, and you will face the most brutal consequences.

Kenyan politicians, however, are excellent students of selective imitation. They admire Singapore’s roads, financial sector, and efficient systems, but they conveniently ignore the part where Singaporean leaders were imprisoned, exiled, or executed for theft. They want the end results, but not the discipline, the brutality, or the unwavering commitment that got Singapore there. They salivate over Singapore’s success but refuse to acknowledge the pain it took to build. In Kenya, corruption is a full-time career, and the only requirement for promotion is stealing more than your predecessor.

In the 1970s and 80s, Singapore sent multiple high-ranking officials to jail for corruption. Teh Cheang Wan, a minister in Lee Kuan Yew’s government, was caught taking bribes. He did not even wait for a court trial—he swallowed poison and died. In Kenya, politicians caught stealing billions from the sick, the hungry, and the jobless do not swallow poison; they swallow whiskey in expensive clubs while laughing about how “Kenyans forget easily.” Here, corruption is not just tolerated—it is celebrated. The bigger the heist, the louder the praise.

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Yet we dare to compare ourselves to Singapore? Then let’s do it properly. Let’s begin public floggings. Every corrupt official, from the president to the lowliest tenderpreneur, should be stripped naked and paraded in Uhuru Park. One stroke of the cane for every shilling stolen. If they stole KES 100 million, they get 100 million lashes. If they die before reaching the full count, well, that is divine justice. Their bodies should be left on display as a warning to the next batch of thieves waiting to take office.

The argument against harsh punishment for corruption has always been the same tired nonsense: “due process” and “human rights.” But what about the millions of Kenyans who die every year because money meant for hospitals was looted? What about the children learning under trees because funds for schools disappeared? What about the mothers who die in labor because someone pocketed the budget for maternal health? Corruption is not a victimless crime—it is mass murder in disguise.

Singapore understood this. That is why they made examples out of the guilty. Lee Kuan Yew made it clear: the law does not sympathize with criminals in high office. Kenya, on the other hand, makes excuses for them. Here, corruption is “a small mistake,” a “miscalculation,” a “witch hunt.” In Singapore, it was a death sentence. In Kenya, it is a networking opportunity.

It is time we stop treating corruption as a minor inconvenience and recognize it for what it is: economic terrorism. A corrupt politician is no different from a terrorist with a bomb strapped to his chest—both are willing to kill for their own gain. The difference? One dies instantly, the other enjoys his loot in Dubai.

Kenyans need to ask themselves: Are we truly ready to eradicate corruption, or do we just like complaining about it? If we are serious, then let’s follow Singapore’s example to the letter. Let’s amend the Constitution and introduce capital punishment for corruption. Let’s turn Uhuru Park into a public execution ground. Let’s make the noose a permanent fixture in Nairobi’s skyline. The world must see that Kenya does not tolerate thieves.

Some may argue that this is too extreme. But what is more extreme—flogging thieves in public or letting millions of citizens die from poverty and disease because of stolen funds? We have been kind to criminals for too long. The time for speeches and anti-corruption seminars is over. We need action. If politicians know that stealing public funds will lead to immediate and painful consequences, they will think twice before looting.

Imagine the scene: a governor who stole KES 1 billion being forced to receive one billion lashes. The people chanting, the air thick with the sound of cane on flesh, the cries of a man who thought himself untouchable. By the time he reaches 50,000 strokes, he will beg for death. By the time he reaches 100,000, he will be nothing but a heap of regret. By the time the count reaches one million, corruption will have a new definition in Kenya: suicide.

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Singapore did not develop by treating corruption like a minor inconvenience. China did not become an economic powerhouse by tolerating thieves in office. The UAE did not rise from the desert by allowing incompetence to thrive. These nations crushed corruption with an iron fist, and their results speak for themselves. In Kenya, we reward looters with diplomatic appointments and state funerals. The greatest honor a Kenyan politician can receive is a street named after him, not for his service, but for how successfully he plundered the nation.

If we want to be taken seriously as a country, we must be ruthless. No more petty fines. No more suspended sentences. No more political games. Steal from the people, and you will pay with your blood. The choice is simple: public flogging or the hangman’s noose. The message must be clear—corruption is treason, and treason must be punished.

This is the only way to save Kenya. Anything less, and we remain what we are today—a nation run by thieves, ruled by cowards, and exploited by the very people who swore to protect us. Corruption has killed more Kenyans than terrorism, disease, and war combined. It is the silent genocide that no one wants to talk about.

But we must talk about it. More than that, we must act. The era of impunity must end. If we want a better Kenya, then let the flogging begin. One stroke for every shilling stolen. No exceptions, no mercy. Let the guilty bleed, and let Kenya be free.

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