Once again the Kenyan government is embroiled in a major corruption scandal. This time is different. There are two scandals running concurrently instead of the usual one-at-a-time. The players are seemingly 'bigger' this time around too.
The first is the Free Primary School Education Fund case of the missing 'funds'. It is as simple as it gets here. No complexity,intrigues, or major kickbacks. Simply put, 'money gone'.
The Maize scandal is relatively more 'complex'. There are reported kickbacks and the more traditional inflation of prices that seem to follow all government purchases. However, this is not what I intend to dwell on. History has taught me that it would be an effort in futility. People will be suspended, made to resign and inquiries will be set up. In the end all that will come of this will be prosecutions of low level civil servants. Those wheels are already turning. The big fish will continue flourish. They will run for re-election come 2012 and THEY WILL WIN!
So who is to blame for this way of doing business? Kenyans of course. The electorate is fully invested in so called 'tribal' interests. The electorate believes they will be marginalized if their 'man' doesn't win. Sadly this mentality takes on life and death dimensions in areas affected by 'tribal clashes'.
What tribalism has done is that it has robbed us all the chance to elect alternative leaders. It whittles down the field of electable candidate to the same old faces that are currently tainted by these same scandals. No matter how deeply Ruto, Uhuru or Raila are implicated in any scandals their core voting blocs will still guarantee there re-election as MPs and still vote for them in the presidential race. Therefore, there is no political price to pay for stealing from the public. Translation? The risks are smalls and the payoffs huge. Maybe this are the same funds that will be used to finance the next elections. (Its time to find out where the money comes from too, it might actually be one the reasons politicians are 'compelled' to 'misplace' all kinds of monies)
In short, tribalism drives corruption which drives tribalism even farther. (The title is not a typo). The same old faces will run in the next elections with the same old vows to fight corruption. Civic education may be partly to blame here as the electorate is misinformed about the true role of government and how policy rather than individual personalities impact their lives. Even in this doom and gloom however there is good news. At least Kenya is a country in which these things can come to light. There are still countries where that alone is not a possibility.
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