CORRUPTION THE NEW NORM

 

 THE VICIOUS CYCLE THAT IS THE HAVES AND HAVE NOTS

" Integrity, transparency  and the fight against corruption have to be part of the culture.They have to be thought as fundamental values ''Angel  Gurria   Secretary General for the organization of Economic  Co-operation and development .The past few weeks have been a painful reminder of the moral decadence  in our institutions. As usual there was an uproar  on social media,protests and the usual commissions were formed.One particular atrocity,however, stood out  for me.A certain governor allegedly used funds from his county, to send his children to schools abroad and  buy them houses.

We never stop to ask ourselves why some names in government and our leading institutions are so familiar.It seems that power and money consistently revolve around the same families .We keep talking about providing equal opportunity for Kenyans.We pay our taxes and receive donations from organizations that continue to mysteriously disappear. This continues to happen every year even when we change leaders.Let me paint you a picture ,to explain this phenomenon.A certain leader A embezzles funds .The funds are used to ensure among other things ,that their children get the best education ,no cost is spared.The same children return home .In addition to their parents influence, they have qualifications from some of the best Universities abroad.How do ordinary citizens and their children compete against that.

There's nothing wrong with wanting the best for our children.It becomes wrong when we allow funds provided by taxpayers and aid provided by  international organizations to do so.Ironically most of these funds are meant to improve the lives of constituents.Money that is meant to improve our education ,giving ordinary Kenyans a fighting chance, in the cutthroat job market.How can we demand change if we ignore this? What type of future are we setting ourselves up for? We continue to lie to our children that they can become anything they want ,while we continue to limit their options.

"Our Children are the rock on which our future will be built on," said Nelson Mandela.What type of future are we setting them up for?One were they are born with limited options because their parents do not have as much influence or money.One where they cannot access basic necessities like education and are thus are unable to  improve themselves. Research shows that although Kenya is one of Africa's Fastest growing economies ,45% of its population is unemployed.Shockingly,85% of them are Kenyan youth.They have continued to showcase their creativity and passion  even in the face of poverty.Their reward? Continued mismanagement of funds .Do we really want to continue to raise a generation that considers corruption the only way to self improvement?Where we are inconsiderate of each others plight ?In the words of Albert Einstein," The world is not destroyed by those that do evil ,but by those that stand and watch it happen.