Bribery and Corruption in Kenya

If you are an individual or a group of people and you engage in illegal practices, abusing their authority for the benefit of their family or friends or their own benefit, and in case of a corporate awarding contracts or making decisions in exchange of bribes, a government using public funds for their own personal use, you are corrupt.

Corruption levels differ in every country all over the world but underdeveloped and developing countries are mostly affected, not only has it become a culture but a vicious cycle passed on to many generations. In Africa and Kenya particularly, not only is it a national disaster but declared as an enemy of progress by pundits. It’s said that the average urban Kenyan has to pay 16 bribes a month in order to get his regular affairs taken care of. What an astonishing statistic. The question is, if the money used as bribes was channeled on other activities like economic development or not pocketed by a greedy few, would the nation still be underdeveloped?

Different excuses have been used to justify all these acts, low minimum wages, lack of opportunities in places of employment or school, following the right procedure takes a lot of time, you have to bribe your way to political positions. The biggest issue encouraging corruption is tribalism or if you like, ethnicity. Tribal loyalty in most governmental institutions and appointments various sectors favors only a particular group depending on the ethnic group of the appointing committee, head of government institution or region of employment. Other tribes lack employment opportunities in these fields hence have to offer bribes so as to get employment. Also infrastructural projects funded by the government are only inclined on the president’s region.

In the 43 years of independence Kenya has had 3 different presidents, the only difference in their regimes is that corruption has scaled to higher degrees and with the advance of Information Technology, people are using high tech means to misappropriate funds, and carry on with impunity. From Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Moi to Mwai Kibaki, little economic growth has been achieved due to a bad investment environment that scares away investors and the only thing that the country has achieved is climbing up the ranks of corruption.

Whenever an individual is accused of impunity, he rushes to his ethnic cocoon claiming how his community is being targeted by certain individuals with intensions of destroying his political career, the surprising is that politicians of the same tribe defend him and even hold political rallies on his defense.

Speaking of corruption, it’s a two way thing, you cannot just point the party that receives or demands the favors but also the party that gives. As an individual or organization you have to know your rights and laws governing your country, also don’t like shortcuts in anything that you do. The fight against the culture of impunity starts with you.