The current members of parliament are perhaps the greediest lot that Kenyans have seen since independence and it will take a miracle for even 10% of them to be re-elected come the general elections expected later this year.
When the legislators started their term in 2003, they were already overpaid earning close to 400,000 monthly in salaries and allowances but four years down the line they have increases their remunerations even further to almost Sh 1 million and are among the best paid law makers in the world.
This they did in complete disregard of the abject poverty in the country with about 70% of the people living on less than a dollar per day and have to make do with only one meal.
To add insult to injury, the legislators also set for themselves attractive perks like a sh 3 million car grant with the privilege of importing the vehicles duty free. Little wonder that when pedestrians see state-of-the-art vehicles speeding along streets of Nairobi the question they ask each other is which member of parliament is passing by as they are notoriously known for acquiring the biggest cars at the expense of tax payers yet they can also easily pass for the laziest lawmakers in the world.
Apparently, the only time that the legislators seem to agree wholesome on any issue is when they have bills in parliament proposing the increase of their pay.
As if that was not enough, during the last seating before the Christmas break, the MPs passed a bill to increase the president's salary from Sh 2 million to Sh 3.3 million in a move that saw president Kibaki reject the new package after a public outcry from the civil society and church leaders. But what is really strange is why the president did not order his foot soldiers to shoot down the bill while it was still in the house. As it is, there seems to have been some input from state house when it was still on the floor of the house.
Little did Kenyans know that the legislators were only setting the stage to secure their own sh 1.5 million each at the end of their five year term later this year in what they called a golden handshake.
This insensitivity among our lawmakers has also seen them draw lots of cash from the various committees they sit on in parliament not to mention the foreign trips that are so frequent and add no value to the debates or motions passed in the house.
What is most disheartening is that most of these legislators have little academic qualification with even a few of them being semi-illiterate and one wonders why they think they deserve to be paid so much money notwithstanding the sorry state of the majority of Kenyans.
This move has made the legislators so unpopular though many of them have invested wisely especially in real estate and will not live desperate lives when they are inevitably voted out later in the year.
Arrogance has also come along with the big perks and most of them have not only deserted their constituents but when cornered by hungry citizens are quick to dish hand outs while others simply ignore their employers with rude comments like they have made enough money and will not be blackmailed by the electorate.
The lawmakers have now resulted to philandering lifestyles and many of them have been seen picking up prostitutes at the notorious Nairobi red ligh disctrict of Koinange street and paying well for the services they get from the mostly underage call girls.
A common joke in the streets of Nairobi is that city prostitutes have raised their fees to fend off the ordinary citizens as they are now targeting the lawmakers only, since they have plenty of cash and a lot of free time for philandering.
Kenyans are well aware of all this and it remains to be seen how these outgoing legislators will explain themselves to the voters when the election campaigns kick off.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Election 2007 Scorecard: How Does Narc-Kenya And President Kibaki Score On Corruption?
The traffic policeman still collects Sh 50 from every matatu that passes the road block while those fortunate (or is it less fortunate) to meet cops instead f thugs at night on their way home must part with Sh 100 or more to secure their release. Those applying for a passport will have to give the government clerk upwards of Sh 1,000 for their application to be given due attention.
These are just a tiny section of the networks of corruption that continue to thrive in Kenya every day in spite of the government's rather tired song that their policy is zero tolerance towards corruption.
There seemed to be a lull just after the 2002 elections and several traffic policemen and court officials were arrested and charged in court with corruption related offences but the steam seems to have run out as the old networks made a come back with a vengeance—so what happened?
Basically the pledge to fight corruption from the top did not quite take off. High level corruption among senior government officials and politicians is rampant and those that have been exposed by the media are yet to be prosecuted in courts of law. So why should any of the small scale corruption networks not flourish?
A good example is the Anglo leasing scandal where the government paid out billions of shillings to ghost companies for goods, which were never delivered.
To date, a cabinet minister who was linked to the cover up of the Anglo leasing scandal has been reinstated to the cabinet after being sacked when the heat was on.
Kiraitu Murungi who blames his woes on the media has even gone further to ask president Kibaki to reinstate his colleague, David Mwiraria who resigned to pave way for investigations.
That's why the war on corruption has been a very big joke in Kenya costing the tax payer large amounts of money as the Kenya anti corruption chief, Justice Aaron Ringera takes home a hefty salary of sh 2 million monthly with allowances making him the best paid public servant earning more than even the president.
To date the only prominent person taken to court over corruption is former powerful minister of internal security and provincial administration Dr Chris Murungaru who's matter is yet to be heard and determined.
The anti corruption czar says he has given the attorney general several files of prominent individuals for prosecution but the ever smiling AG, Amos Wako says the evidence in those files is insufficient to sustain prosecution.
President Kibaki has been constantly accused of failing to take decisive action on corruption like in many other pertinent issues but the hear no evil, see no evil president has as usual buried his head in the sand and prefers to talk about economic growth vision 2030 (or is it 20300?) and the free primary education program.
Corruption is nothing new to Kenyans and the problem has been with us since the pre-independence era but Kenyans voted president Kibaki with express instructions—on an anti corruption platform and are therefore deeply disillusioned on his failure to show initiative in tackling the vice that has literally torn apart the moral fiber of our society.
These are just a tiny section of the networks of corruption that continue to thrive in Kenya every day in spite of the government's rather tired song that their policy is zero tolerance towards corruption.
There seemed to be a lull just after the 2002 elections and several traffic policemen and court officials were arrested and charged in court with corruption related offences but the steam seems to have run out as the old networks made a come back with a vengeance—so what happened?
Basically the pledge to fight corruption from the top did not quite take off. High level corruption among senior government officials and politicians is rampant and those that have been exposed by the media are yet to be prosecuted in courts of law. So why should any of the small scale corruption networks not flourish?
A good example is the Anglo leasing scandal where the government paid out billions of shillings to ghost companies for goods, which were never delivered.
To date, a cabinet minister who was linked to the cover up of the Anglo leasing scandal has been reinstated to the cabinet after being sacked when the heat was on.
Kiraitu Murungi who blames his woes on the media has even gone further to ask president Kibaki to reinstate his colleague, David Mwiraria who resigned to pave way for investigations.
That's why the war on corruption has been a very big joke in Kenya costing the tax payer large amounts of money as the Kenya anti corruption chief, Justice Aaron Ringera takes home a hefty salary of sh 2 million monthly with allowances making him the best paid public servant earning more than even the president.
To date the only prominent person taken to court over corruption is former powerful minister of internal security and provincial administration Dr Chris Murungaru who's matter is yet to be heard and determined.
The anti corruption czar says he has given the attorney general several files of prominent individuals for prosecution but the ever smiling AG, Amos Wako says the evidence in those files is insufficient to sustain prosecution.
President Kibaki has been constantly accused of failing to take decisive action on corruption like in many other pertinent issues but the hear no evil, see no evil president has as usual buried his head in the sand and prefers to talk about economic growth vision 2030 (or is it 20300?) and the free primary education program.
Corruption is nothing new to Kenyans and the problem has been with us since the pre-independence era but Kenyans voted president Kibaki with express instructions—on an anti corruption platform and are therefore deeply disillusioned on his failure to show initiative in tackling the vice that has literally torn apart the moral fiber of our society.
Raila Odinga's Bid For the Presidency: Can Kenyans Stomach The Truth?
Raila Odinga is a darling to many Kenyans having fought for democracy for the past four decades but few know that the erstwhile politician is also known to engage in unorthodox tactics to raise money for his political activities.
Having said that, there are those Kenyans who prefer to turn a blind eye to the any weaknesses that Agwambo may have, after all he is almost the only one effectively standing up against the current government which has in many ways brought lots of hardships to Kenyans, and that is apart from the broken promises that are now conveniently being swept under the carpet. It is like the situation with Nelson Mandela where most opted to turn a blind eye to his extreme and suspicious affection for young models. After all the old man suffered for 27 years in detention.
Raila too has suffered a great deal and will probably remain the most detained Kenyan in history since the law allowing the president to detain without trial has since been repelled.
However we have reached a place in Kenyan's long hard work to a second liberation where the truth must be told at all times. Even when this truth concerns our dear proven heroes and heroines and is therefore "painful and difficult to swallow."
Those who have aspired for parliamentary seats in Luo nyanza only know to well that it is impossible to succeed without the nod of Raila, which does not come cheap by any standards.
It is common knowledge that all Luo MPs belong to one of two groups, there are those who are related to Odinga in one way or the other and then they are those who donated generously to Raila's personal account to ensure they won his party's nomination which was and still is a direct ticket to parliament.
However majority of the current Luo MPs belong to the latter group with some donating millions to ensure that they got the LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) nomination ticket that enabled them a smooth sailing to parliament.
Heading the list is foreign affairs minister Raphael Tuju who when he fell out with Raila confessed that he donated so much money, that he was given the nomination in spite of losing hands down to his opponent.
In a bitter exchange of words with Raila, Tuju challenged him to tell the world how much he had to cough from his pockets to secure the LDP nominations for the Rarieda parliamentary seat which he represents. Raila remained mum on this issue.
Others who are said to also have given Odinga plenty of cash is former Kenya ports authority managing director Philip Okundi who also sailed smoothly to parliament through the Rangwe seat and a host of other top professionals who are in parliament today because of Raila.
The list is long and these legislators who bought their way to parliament are mostly now on their way out as Raila has already picked a new line up to replace them as he collects more money to finance his forthcoming Presidential campaign.
Among the Luo mps who are in parliament today as a result of being related to Raila include his brother Dr Oburu Odinga, Gor Sunguh, Jakoyo Midiwo among others who have performed disastrously and are also on their way out maybe save for Oburu who represents Bondo, the rural home for the Odinga family.
There are a few others who managed to get to parliament by simply worshipping Raila like Mbita legislator Otieno Kajwang who always thinks, eats and breathes Raila and is usually used as a hatchet man for the maverick politician.
Raila is said to accumulate a fortune ahead of any general election and is the most sought after man in Nyanza as aspirants chase after him in a bid to secure nominations in his party ticket knowing too well that it is a direct ticket to parliament where the salaries and allowances are among the most lucrative in the world.
Mr Odinga has also been involved in other forms of corruption which he has managed to get away with as there has never been sufficient evidence to crucify him and whenever he is accused of any vice, he simply politicizes the whole issue and gets much needed sympathy from his supporters who run into millions as he is perhaps the most popular politician in Kenya today.
Anthe case in point that Raila critics are quick to point to was when he was roads minister in Kibaki's government. It is alleged that he influenced the tendering system for the Nairobi-Mombasa highway where a German construction company, Strabag, was awarded the tender in a process that was not perceived to be competitive.
The matter was brought up in parliament after it was discovered that Raila toured Germany at the invitation of the construction company in a trip that his wife Ida tugged along and more questions than answers arose but Raila claimed it was a self-sponsored trip contrary to emerging facts.
A one time close ally of Raila who works in the roads ministry confided to this writer that Odinga had a more than cordial relationship with a number of road contractors but his dealings with them were so secretive that there was never evidence of him receiving money and favors in return of awarding them lucrative tenders.
"Raila is such a shrewd operator that it's almost impossible to catch him with his pants down or his hands in the cookie jar' The senior government official confided to this writer soon after Raila was dropped from the cabinet for campaigning against the new constitution which saw the government lose.
It is not a secret that Raila is fabulously wealthy and has the capacity to self finance his presidential campaign with little information on the true source of his wealth besides the family inheritance and generous donations from his local and foreign friends.
But his less radical supporters would argue that Raila is no different form the current crop of politicians and if anything stands heads and shoulders above them because his style of making money does not involve fleecing the public and causing a lot of suffering to ordinary folks like some of his former colleagues are notorious for. Surely one cannot compare Raila with for example Chris Murungaru who is said to have grown fabulously rich overnight doing the sort of "business" that attract the attention of International intelligence agencies. Britain banned the former internal security and later transport minister in the Kibaki government after he was seen in meetings with underworld drug barons during an official visit to London.
Still, would Raila make the sort of president that Kenya needs at this particular point in time? Would he for instance fight corruption with the required vigour when he himself has been involved in it, even if it is to a lesser degree than colleagues?
These are some of the questions Kenyan voters will have to answer. It is gratifying that whatever verdict they give Raila Amollo Odinga, one thing can never be denied about him. And that is the fact that his place in Kenyan history is firmly booked.
DON'T MISS PART 2 OF OUR RAILA PRESIDENTIAL BID ANALYSIS TOMORROW.
Having said that, there are those Kenyans who prefer to turn a blind eye to the any weaknesses that Agwambo may have, after all he is almost the only one effectively standing up against the current government which has in many ways brought lots of hardships to Kenyans, and that is apart from the broken promises that are now conveniently being swept under the carpet. It is like the situation with Nelson Mandela where most opted to turn a blind eye to his extreme and suspicious affection for young models. After all the old man suffered for 27 years in detention.
Raila too has suffered a great deal and will probably remain the most detained Kenyan in history since the law allowing the president to detain without trial has since been repelled.
However we have reached a place in Kenyan's long hard work to a second liberation where the truth must be told at all times. Even when this truth concerns our dear proven heroes and heroines and is therefore "painful and difficult to swallow."
Those who have aspired for parliamentary seats in Luo nyanza only know to well that it is impossible to succeed without the nod of Raila, which does not come cheap by any standards.
It is common knowledge that all Luo MPs belong to one of two groups, there are those who are related to Odinga in one way or the other and then they are those who donated generously to Raila's personal account to ensure they won his party's nomination which was and still is a direct ticket to parliament.
However majority of the current Luo MPs belong to the latter group with some donating millions to ensure that they got the LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) nomination ticket that enabled them a smooth sailing to parliament.
Heading the list is foreign affairs minister Raphael Tuju who when he fell out with Raila confessed that he donated so much money, that he was given the nomination in spite of losing hands down to his opponent.
In a bitter exchange of words with Raila, Tuju challenged him to tell the world how much he had to cough from his pockets to secure the LDP nominations for the Rarieda parliamentary seat which he represents. Raila remained mum on this issue.
Others who are said to also have given Odinga plenty of cash is former Kenya ports authority managing director Philip Okundi who also sailed smoothly to parliament through the Rangwe seat and a host of other top professionals who are in parliament today because of Raila.
The list is long and these legislators who bought their way to parliament are mostly now on their way out as Raila has already picked a new line up to replace them as he collects more money to finance his forthcoming Presidential campaign.
Among the Luo mps who are in parliament today as a result of being related to Raila include his brother Dr Oburu Odinga, Gor Sunguh, Jakoyo Midiwo among others who have performed disastrously and are also on their way out maybe save for Oburu who represents Bondo, the rural home for the Odinga family.
There are a few others who managed to get to parliament by simply worshipping Raila like Mbita legislator Otieno Kajwang who always thinks, eats and breathes Raila and is usually used as a hatchet man for the maverick politician.
Raila is said to accumulate a fortune ahead of any general election and is the most sought after man in Nyanza as aspirants chase after him in a bid to secure nominations in his party ticket knowing too well that it is a direct ticket to parliament where the salaries and allowances are among the most lucrative in the world.
Mr Odinga has also been involved in other forms of corruption which he has managed to get away with as there has never been sufficient evidence to crucify him and whenever he is accused of any vice, he simply politicizes the whole issue and gets much needed sympathy from his supporters who run into millions as he is perhaps the most popular politician in Kenya today.
Anthe case in point that Raila critics are quick to point to was when he was roads minister in Kibaki's government. It is alleged that he influenced the tendering system for the Nairobi-Mombasa highway where a German construction company, Strabag, was awarded the tender in a process that was not perceived to be competitive.
The matter was brought up in parliament after it was discovered that Raila toured Germany at the invitation of the construction company in a trip that his wife Ida tugged along and more questions than answers arose but Raila claimed it was a self-sponsored trip contrary to emerging facts.
A one time close ally of Raila who works in the roads ministry confided to this writer that Odinga had a more than cordial relationship with a number of road contractors but his dealings with them were so secretive that there was never evidence of him receiving money and favors in return of awarding them lucrative tenders.
"Raila is such a shrewd operator that it's almost impossible to catch him with his pants down or his hands in the cookie jar' The senior government official confided to this writer soon after Raila was dropped from the cabinet for campaigning against the new constitution which saw the government lose.
It is not a secret that Raila is fabulously wealthy and has the capacity to self finance his presidential campaign with little information on the true source of his wealth besides the family inheritance and generous donations from his local and foreign friends.
But his less radical supporters would argue that Raila is no different form the current crop of politicians and if anything stands heads and shoulders above them because his style of making money does not involve fleecing the public and causing a lot of suffering to ordinary folks like some of his former colleagues are notorious for. Surely one cannot compare Raila with for example Chris Murungaru who is said to have grown fabulously rich overnight doing the sort of "business" that attract the attention of International intelligence agencies. Britain banned the former internal security and later transport minister in the Kibaki government after he was seen in meetings with underworld drug barons during an official visit to London.
Still, would Raila make the sort of president that Kenya needs at this particular point in time? Would he for instance fight corruption with the required vigour when he himself has been involved in it, even if it is to a lesser degree than colleagues?
These are some of the questions Kenyan voters will have to answer. It is gratifying that whatever verdict they give Raila Amollo Odinga, one thing can never be denied about him. And that is the fact that his place in Kenyan history is firmly booked.
DON'T MISS PART 2 OF OUR RAILA PRESIDENTIAL BID ANALYSIS TOMORROW.
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