Levi Cheruo Cheptora

"One of the long running and perennial concerns of Kenyans is the runaway corruption in our public processes. In 2002 as well as in 2007, corruption had been a key campaign issue.

 

Already it is an issue on the lips of many politicians indicating that the coming general elections will be no different. But considering the lessons of the last 10 years, should we take mere promises and the mere mumbo jumbo to do away with corruption and other massive theft of public coffers for good?

 

What must we do to avoid being taken for a ride by corn artists who are either deeply rooted in grand corruption or are the greatest and loudest defenders of those suspected of looting public coffers?"

 

No matter the magnitude of its benefits, lying is evil, degrading and a recipe for other equally sinful gestures! For the few years I have lived,  I  have  witnessed  its  other  ugly  side;  the  undertones  of  its horrific  fangs  and  the  cruelty  with  which  it  has  struck  many  an innocent soul, down-trodden a handful of ambitious Kenyans and murder numerous aspirations as well.

 

 

A sizeable chunk of Kenyans are hardly hard-working, contrary to the much amplified praises. Instead of say securing good grades and completing their educational levels, they would rather buy a decent  certificate  from  a  poverty-stricken  home  and  inherit everything including their names! Armed with this grand lie, they are bound to walk tall in job-markets, rise higher in their ranks and become  rich  overnight.  It  is  feared  that  over  70  %  of  Kenyan Government  Employees  are  unqualified,  undeserving,  and  worse, have been on payroll illegally! 

 

Given the un-attended to loop holes and fissures, illiterate sons and daughters  of  the  mighty  have  ascended  to  top  ranks  in  our institutions; are the new employers who fancy hiring and firing and rarely tolerate brilliant and hard working staff members! Indeed, in some instances, only one out of five present-day Kenyan employees has clean and genuine papers! The rest are cheats who have been robbing  us  silently,  crippling  our  weak  economy,  offering  us  low quality services and denying our bright sons and daughters a chance in life!

 

Kenya is a nation whose citizens has employed crooked means of survival,  lives  in  the  expense  of  others,  cares  the  least  about humanity and is ever more than willing to do anything to plunge every vulnerable life into a pitch-dark abyss! It is a lovely den of hungry wolves whose ugly claws often extend a cold handshake to every beggar in the next turn. 

 

In every public office, we the beggars must pay a mandatory illegal fee of at least a hundred Kenyan shillings to get our documents signed  or  rubber-stamped  by  an  administrator.  Chiefs,  District Officers, District Commissioners, Provincial Commissioners, C.E.Os, Clerks e.t.c. normally solicit bribe and in most cases, demand a huge chunk of our hard-earned cash or else deny us their services for good.

 

And those who have accidentally made it to the limelight courtesy of their cut-throat patience and overwhelming inner-drive, are ever eager to enjoy their hard-earned sweat elsewhere for fear of being bewitched, denied promotions they deserve and reproached and avoided like venomous snakes! Such characters are feared, treated coldly and despised by an army of semi-illiterate morons who have

been climbing up the ladder via ungodly channels over the years. 

 

Ironically,  educational achievements are ever met with grief and discomfort rather than ululations, bliss and ecstasy. Often, one is bound to hear of food poisoning and impromptu ailments which are naturally  and  specifically  designed  to  deny  the  society  brilliant minds  and  innovative  brains.  Whereas  some  communities  prevail elsewhere  and  marks  notable  credentials,  ours  are  ever  busy dragging their feet, and headed to nowhere in particular! In the end, we are always left with an ugly bunch of cheats; masters of deceit and messengers of doom!