Corruption; the Jubilee Legacy!

The nation is yet again licking the pains of corruption after individuals swindled the state of Sh 5 billion, just days after President Uhuru Kenyatta publicly admitted that his government is losing the war on corruption.

People entrusted with providing medical services to the people chose to manipulate the Integrated Financial Management Systems (IFMIS), divert funds and make double payments of goods to enrich themselves on the blood of dying Kenyans and cancer patients who die in their thousands due to lack of cancer treatment every year. 

“As president, if there is one issue that has frustrated, it is this issue (of corruption). And I will say why. Because the pressure is on me,” Nairobi News quoted Kenyatta.

It is a tale of contrasts at the helm of the nation’s leadership. First lady, Margret Kenyatta is leading the noble ‘Beyond Zero Campaign’ that aims to provide mobile clinics to all 47 counties.

At the ministry of Health, those responsible for overseeing the provision of healthcare services have betrayed our trust!

The latest theft, hot on the heels of the Sh 1.8 billion through the National Youth Service (NYS) months ago came after Kenyatta admission of losing the fight.

The scandal at ‘Mafia could present the biggest scandal since the Anglo-Leasing saga in the 1990’s where individuals defrauded the state of about Sh 40 billion. 

The consequences are already dire on the ordinary folk. 

At least At least 27,000 Kenyans cancer patients die each year, while access to quality medical services remains a mirage for most mothers and infants in far-flung parts of the nation.

Corruption has made Kenya the rich man’s society where the affluent seek private medical services that are beyond the reach of the peasants or go abroad, especially the government officials who cannot use the very medical services they claim to be fit for Kenyans!

Kenyans must be worried when the very man who they entrusted the nation’s leadership into admits the war on grand-corruption is one we are losing as few individuals who should otherwise be prosecuted in accordance with the law loot from the public coffers to lead lavish lives.

Lastly Mr. President, corruption describes your government and many would be forgiven for thinking it was one of your election promises!

The inflated diesel-fueled Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is inferior to the recently opened Ethiopia-Djibouti electric railway. 

Our Kenyan project is shorter and costs more than the historic railway linking Ethiopia and Djibouti. Sadly, the concerns on the inflated cost have not been addressed.

The wounds from the NYS scandal have not healed yet the mafias have struck again! Why do you tell us that you are helpless in the face of vicious souls hungry for our taxes?

The country loses about Sh 608 billion to corruption each year! Funds that can help set-up several cancer treatment facilities to ease the burden on the over-worked one at Kenyatta National Hospital, save Kenyans from perennial cases of starvation or build several football stadia fit enough to help groom the nation’s immense sporting talents!

Sadly, there are souls that prefer to loot it all as the rest of hard-working tax-payers fail to enjoy the public services that they pay for!

Mr. President, mega-corruption is fast describing your tenure in office, save your legacy and save Kenya too!

The good thing is that those who loot public funds are highly rewarded with plum political seats by the electorate and never get prosecuted by the courts, instead only bear the little pains of lip service by those who should clobber and sent them to the gallows!