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| PHOTO; Sonko Rescue Team: http://www.sonkorescueteam.com/ |
Most of you who have declared an all-out war against corruption and "irresponsible governance" may find it hard to stomach this. The understanding of corruption in Kenya seems to be the unofficial dividing line between the "civilised" and "yet to be schooled types". In times of desperation and total lockdowns, it takes "smart thieves" to remember victims of corruption.
I have heard many people badmouthing handouts as inherently a short-term venture geared at popularising the giver at the expense of the suffering Kenyans. At the center of this brouhaha is Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko.
He is accused of "teaching Nairobians bad habits through his donations instead of pushing public bodies to perform their duties." Some say, the good Senator is promoting poverty through his "Sonko Rescue Team" largess.
I will demonstrate here why these assertions are wrong.
A society that is wholly corrupt has no moral standing pointing fingers at others for being corrupt. (Wait, this isn't a declaration for promotion of corruption). To do this, in my view, is purely hypocritical. The crux of the matter is known to all of us: Unless we calibrate our corruption, its proceeds will always be benefiting one side.
Since we have willfully failed to vanquish corruption, it is only wise for us to claim our share of the corruption cake. This, my people, is possible. It is working though we rarely acknowledge its impact.
Look, count the number of fundraisers happening across this country to quantify the impact of this "dirty money". Many churches, schools, dispensaries etc are standing thanks to harambees. Do we know where these donations came from? A big NO.
And this is where Nairobi's Senator Mike Sonko comes in.
Recently I pointed out that Sonko's "generosity" falls in a category of its own. I call it "criticisms by generosity". It entails outsmarting government agencies by providing the very same services they ought to render to the public - but have failed to do so. This is why.
Governments - of any kind - crave for public attention. History is clear: rarely do governments act unless there is public outcry or a shift of public support towards another body, person or entity. Only at this point will a government swing into action to "restore its position as the public protector".
Which again raises another fundamental question: Will the government of Kenya be moved by empty words?
Kenya's officialdom is wholly founded on self-gratification. Our politics is predicated on what some political scientists call, "a game of few against many". Forget about that tribal angle you bandy around. Tribalism isn't the common philosophy up there. "Eating" is.
A question thus pops up: How can we push this eating class into action? I think the answer is right within us. It's by suppressing the popularity they enjoy among the clueless mass of Kenyans out there.
Mark you; this is what Sonkoism is built on. It seeks to out-compete Nairobi's incompetent bureaucracy and alienate it from the people - in order to "teach" it a lesson on public engagement and service delivery.
There is every reason to rejoice. Sonko's pro-poor generosity is the antidote of our apathetic bureaucracies. I can't wait to see some more Sonkos spread all over this country.
Sometimes it takes courage to accept some things. Electing "smart thieves", it seems, is good for Kenya.
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