The Fight Against Corruption: EACC-CID Comedy

Kenya is a country of drama and comedy. The end of one comedy is always the beginning of the other. One Tanzanian told me one day that in Tanzania, people don’t watch comedy but they watch Kenyan news.

The fight against corruption in Kenya has been a world full of drama. Each coming day, a new drama comes up further twisting the literal efforts being put in place.

The current drama is that involving Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. This is the body that Kenyans and the country as a whole expect to find, investigate and recommend prosecution of the corrupt in the country.

EACC has now become the case of the hunter becoming the hunted. The chair of the commission, Philip Kinisu has been involved in analysts are calling the worst corruption scandal.

Philip Kinisu’s company has been mentioned as being one of the beneficiaries of the National Youth Service (NYS). It is said that the company received more than 200 million shillings for goods and services that were never rendered.

EACC has been investigating the NYS scandal where more than 791 million shillings are said to have been looted. EACC cleared the main suspect in the case, former Devolution Cabinet Secretary, Anne Waiguru in a suspicious move that raised questions among Kenyans.

Few weeks later, EACC summoned Anne Waiguru after clearing her and started fresh investigations after she was widely mentioned in an affidavit by Josphene Kabura.

The revelation that Philip Kinisu, the man who was supposed to unravel the truth about NYS was also a beneficiary, kills the trust and the hopes of Kenyans in the commission.

The matter is also taking another twist with its deputy, Michael Mubea being said to have received more than 50 million shillings in order to end the investigations concerning the NYS saga.

Mr Philip Kinisu was summoned to go and record a statement and shed light on issues affecting him by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Here is where drama sets in. EACC is supposed to be investigation the head of CID, Ndegwa Muhoro, due to a case concerning his involvement in a land saga. And now, Muhoro has summoned Kinisu, the man who is supposed to be investigating him. In other words, two suspects are investigating each other.

What is worrying even more is the silence from the Head of State, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta. The president has been mute concerning the issues since they started unfolding. Despite the fact that the President has been talking tough concerning corruption, with one time declaring it a threat to national security, Uhuru Kenyatta has done little in putting his tough talking into action.

The former Chief Justice Dr. Willy Mutunga once said that Kenya is a country run and ruled by cartels. He said that these cartels were so powerful that they also run and dominate the corridors of justice. He said, “The influence of the cartels is overwhelming…If we do not fight the cartels, we become their slaves. But leaders who do take on the cartels must be prepared to be killed or exiled.” He also said that these corrupt cartels are “doing illegal business with politicians”

“I don’t know why we always select beneficiaries of corruption to fight corruption? How can you fight something that is giving you your daily bread?” Asked Mr. Korir Isaac, a journalist.

“In this country, there are those who were born to eat to sweat and there are those who were born to sweat to eat. Unfortunately, those born to eat to sweat are so powerful that no force can reckon with them. Fighting corruption in Kenya is like fighting power!” added the dejected journalist.

The cost of living continues to rise making the lives of Kenyans difficult. The rate of inflation is now at 6.4 and the cost of most basic needs has skyrocketed.