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| Photo courtesy of @TurkanaLand |
Considering the long fingers of their ruling elite, men and women of this great nation will surely have to wait for generations to fully enjoy devolution largess. Pessimism aside. This is just a clear description of who we are.
The eating spree that has preoccupied the minds of our county honchos is something to worry about. Devolution, it seems, was premised on the narrow prism of lining the pockets of the who-is-who in our rural hamlets. This is a far cry from what the wretched of our counties hoped for.
Let's call a spade a spade: Corruption is theft. Those who bank on it are thieves. In fact, very dangerous thieves.
The recent Auditor General's report on public funds absorption for the year 2013-2014 has made it clear to all that our public corridors are not manned by straight-minded, people-centered officials. They are policed by hunters of public funds. These chaps pilfer, pocket and cook figures at rates never seen before in Kenya. They are busy shortchanging our collective dream.
They constitute a single enemy block that must be brought down for prosperity to reign.
Take the case of Turkana County. The report paints a picture of an officialdom that majors on endless junkets (within and without Kenya), and some imaginary ones in order to squeeze extra coins from the public purse.
I hear marriage is now the in-thing in my land. You see, there's too much cash - of course from questionable sources - to splash to in-laws and to pick extra wives.
Again, there is this disease of under expenditure. Take for instance the budgetary allocation of the County Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning. These chaps got Ksh 172M to do their job but ended up spending 12.5% of this allocation!
I know some people are preparing to tell us that procurement bottlenecks slowed funds absorption rate. The truth of the matter, in my view, is: What exists on paper is NOT what these people wanted to implement. It is a clever ploy to divert funds.
Look at it this way: when you discover that some sectors, say water sector, expended all monies and did a commendable job, is there any justification for a government that claims to be grounded in people's development to pump more millions to sectors that have shoddy records vis-a-vis implementation of projects?
It is simple: You take money where needs are.
People talk of organized crime. Down there, we have power teams. These are invisible (perhaps imaginary) men and women who will always scoop any contract - and painfully fail to deliver on their mandate. No, I don't cast aspersions on those who have legitimately won their pick.
Owing to their connections with the establishment, these power teams wield immense influence that not even the law can countenance. They know when and how to strike - and get their deal done.
People, this is the foremost enemy of development. Evidently, these power teams ride on the premise that people are clueless and overburdened by their daily challenges to question the steps of their sons and daughters in power. You see, they have a point.
This is why I believe a disruption agent is badly needed. I long to get a leader who will stand up against these power teams and liberate our people from the marauding greed of this faceless squad. For there is no justification to lament about marginalization when we - who wield power - are happily in bed with these power teams.
It is only a satanic mind that finds happiness in cornering what is destined to uplift a people subdued by many years of state-sponsored neglect. More so, it is a scandal of gigantic proportions when home-grown sons and daughters are the team leaders of these power teams.
Governor Nanok was elected on a platform of renewal. He promised to tackle many things. One striking point was his resolve to ensure that crooked minds get off the rails of resources earmarked for the masses. He sought to restore dignity to our people.
Now that deviations have popped up, isn't it hypocritical to believe in the promises he made prior to his election? Won't my people be justified to think otherwise?
Our one and only demand: Governor Josphat Nanok must dismantle - and decisively crush these thieving power teams. This is what every conscious being out there expects.
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