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.
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