Trust Kenya’s ridiculous
corruption levels to make your jaw drop so far you’ll have a hard time picking
it back up any day. No kidding!! Hardly does the country’s citizenry go for
long without been treated to stage shows of fraud cases blowing up, which are
always a case of same script different cast. If you imagined you had seen the
nastiest forms of fraud, rest assured this will put to shame whatever you had
in mind.
Following Kenya’s post
election violence, serious destruction of produce and subsequent low yield, an outrageous
shortage of maize hit the country not so long ago. The prices of maize and
related products skyrocketed to inconceivable levels, making Kenya’s staple
food unaffordable to most citizens. This prompted the government to turn to the
Strategic Grain Reserves, which stores grains to be used only in times of
urgent situations.
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| A hungry child in Kenya. |
The government set out to
equitably apportion the maize among millers so as to ensure there was
affordable flour in the market to caution ordinary Kenyan’s against the looming
starvation crisis. In addition, more maize was imported to cover the deficit.
At last the situation was been contained, and the worst was over, or so the
citizens thought.
Weeks down the line, and the
‘maize scandal’ blows up. Maize meant for cautioning Kenyans against the
looming starvation crisis was illegally apportioned to people and companies who
were neither millers nor did they own milling premises. They then sold the
maize to genuine millers at exorbitant prices, making abnormal profits; this at
the expense of millions of Kenyans staring starvation in the face. Who in their
sound mind does that??”
Heightened shortage of maize and
maize flour as a result of the scandal, the high cost of the commodities in the
market coupled with the looming scandal created a lethal mix. Scores of angry
citizens took to the streets of the capital Nairobi bringing business in the
city to a near standstill. They chanted anti government slogans and carried placards
demanding that all focus be shifted to address the serious situation.
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| citizens carrying a dummy packet of maize flour during the demonstrations over the commodity's high cost |
If this swindle astonishes you, please don’t
be, because you’ve barely read this article.
Just when ordinary Kenyans
thought they had seen the worst, it emerged that over 4 billion shillings which
had been donated by the United Kingdom government towards the very noble Free
Primary Education program, was missing and could not be accounted for. This new
development bore the ‘F P E funds scandal’ (the Free Primary Education funds scandal).
For those who may not know,
let me bring you abreast with the specifics relating to the education sector in
Kenya. There aren’t enough teachers in public schools. In some parts of the
country, students have to study under trees due to inadequate classes or non
existence altogether; never mind the harsh and extreme weather conditions. There
aren’t enough reading materials for the pupils. The desks in most public
schools have to be shared by more students than they were meant for, to mention
but a few challenges facing the F P E program.
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| students in a classroom under Kenya's F P E program |
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| a class in session under a tree |
In view of these challenges,
it is appreciable that donor funds meant for the program would have been such a
big relief to millions of Kenyan school going children. This was not to be. Not
only were the donor funds missing, but worse, they could not be accounted for.
As if that is not enough to cause anyone a heart ache, an infuriated United Kingdom
government demanded their money back, strongly stating that their taxpayers
money could not be out to benefit a few greedy Kenyans. That translated into
two things; the Kenyan government paid back the donated amount from the public
kitty, since the donated funds were missing, and Kenyans were left worse off
than they were before the donor funds!!
It is frightening to think
that some individuals would be as sly as to steal from a starving citizenry and
innocent, defenseless school going children, thus putting into jeopardy the
nation’s future. I hate to break it to you ladies and gentlemen, but these are
facts, and facts are stubborn things.
I had you on my mind when
writing this article, and I thought it prudent to spare you a rash despondency.
In part two of this piece of writing, you will be shocked beyond words upon
learning that in its quest to feed its insatiable gluttony, corruption in Kenya
has not spared the sick and more disgracefully, the dead! It’s an article you
don’t want to miss out on!
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