You are Entering a Corruption-Free Zone

Here in Kenya there is frequent talk of corruption in business and especially in the government. And no wonder, because it is fairly prevalent. For example, on a recent matatu (bus) ride outside of the city, all the cars on the road had to stop for a quick police check. Well, it was quick as long as the driver slipped a 50-shilling note into his Driver’s License folder so the cop could take it during the inspection. And apparently everyone knows that the policemen just want the 50 bob because they’re not really paid enough to make a living, so this little leave-me-alone bribe is common.

And of course, there are attempts to curtail the corruption. There is a Kenyan Anti-Corruption Commission with special offices, hotline numbers, and web forms where you can go to report corruption. Many of the government ministry buildings have signs declaring the “Corruption-Free Zone” and suggesting where you can report breaches. But one of things I find most amusing is that the Nairobi City Parking Attendants wear bright-yellow smocks emblazoned with the words “CORRUPTION IS EVIL” on the back. What amuses me the most about this is that it was probably some high-up city official who decided that the source of the corruption is the people on the bottom of the ladder, when everyone knows that it starts at the very top. For example, each member of Kenya’s Parliament earns 1,400,000 – 2,000,000 Kenyan Shillings monthly—that’s between $200,000 and 300,000 US Dollars a year—more than US Senators and many many times the average wage in Kenya.

Even more sad are some of the recent news items. Just yesterday there was a big protest near my language school by the families and friends of the country’s physically and mentally handicapped, who are supposed to get a welfare stipend, but apparently due to some corruption in the NSSF they have not actually received any of the money due them for some time now. Also, the biggest news these days has been the International Criminal Court (ICC) summons of the “Ocampo Six”—six men said to be instigators in the 2007 post-election violence in which over 1,000 Kenyans were killed. There’s been much fuss about how this is an intrusion of Kenya’s sovereignty and the government intends to prosecute the men in time—but so far in 4 years no progress has been made on this. The problem, as I see it (and please understand this may be an over-simplification), is that these men are still active leaders (MPs, heads of ministries, etc.) in the Kenyan government, and as long as they remain in those positions of power they will be able to thwart any efforts to convict them of wrong!

There’s a lot of hope that the as-of-yet-not-completely-implemented new Constitution will help reduce or stop the corruption. I hope that as it is implemented this will be more and more true, but I remain skeptical because no set of laws does anything to change human nature, which is the core problem here.

So far, I’ve told you a little about corruption in Kenya, but I need to make an important distinction. Although bribery, theft, and the like are well-known in much of Africa these days, I don’t believe the situation is any worse here. Really! I think Congressional pork, kick-backs from lobbyists, and the like are just as prevalent and just as damaging in the United States and other Western nations—they are just better hid. I’m not sure whether I’d rather live with the open problems of corruption or with the secrets that damage us but cannot be proven. How about you?