The Kenyan Political Landscape is in turmoil. With corrupt leaders at the top of their game, swindling public money through fraudulent projects has left the country in financial stitches, the state of the nation is at the verge of losing its sanity.
In an article by David Ndii, to East Africa Review Publication he wrote; To budget anything from a quarter to a third of the country’s annual GDP for stealing — to then borrow it, steal it, feign outrage, compromise parliament, and diffuse public anger with ineffectual corruption investigations, again and again, and again – defies corruption.
To shed light on the state of the nation highlighting possible solutions to the war against corruption, Kenya’s Highest Ranking UN Official, Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, who serves as the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, UNCTAD shared his sentiments on the matter in a candid interview with Citizen’s Jeff Koinange.
” There should be no untouchables in the war against corruption. As a country, we must not allow ethnic entitlement to bad manners. We must have norms as a country other than those glorifying wealth. No country was developed as a result of people stealing from others,” he remarked.
He noted that corruption should be punishable by death. Kenyans should not get an overload of corruption scandals that will make them immune to shock, killing their desire to be outraged and punish
” Make the cost of corruption so high that no one will be tempted to get into it. Proper punishment should follow through. It’s very good for the country if the world sees the real big thieves are paying for it, losing what they got through theft, losing the convenience, going to jail. That’s how other countries have dealt with corruption. I think a life sentence for corrupt individuals should do. In some countries, former presidents are rotting in jail for graft. Why should we pussyfoot when we are dealing with thieves in our own country?” said Dr Mukhisa Kituyi
Fighting corruption is a tough battle that will attract noise to scare off determined Kenyans. But Dr Mukhisa encouraged Kenyans to be bold calling upon Uhuru Kenyatta to take the lead.
” Democracy is at its most vulnerable when parents believe that the next generation will have poorer lives than themselves. President Uhuru Kenyatta does not need any other legacy other than to drive out corruption,” added.
Constitutional reforms should focus on cutting down the public bill whose cost is already too high than vouching for more representatives in parliament. He urged China, to help developing countries in waging a furious war against corruption as it has zero tolerance for graft.