The Standard ­ Monday
Date: 28.11.2016
Page 14
Article size: 372 cm2
ColumnCM: 82.66
AVE: 198400.0
Don't play politics with graft war
Poor Raila Odinga, it must have
been awkward to be associated with
what is gaining currency in the Jubi­
lee administration: corruption and
theft of public money.
Was Adan Duale, the Leader of
the Majority, calling Mr Odinga's
contest or a popularity stunt or an
opportunity to undermine one an­
other. 'If CORD governors are culpa­
ble, why hasn't he called them out'
seems to be the message of those
bashing him, not because they abhor
friend jokingly told me: In Kenya, we
work for two kinds of people: doctors
and lawyers.
I personally haven't got much ex­
perience with lawyers, but he told
me a lawyer would keep you away
corruption more than him.
from those troubles that you would
bluff when he said he too, had a
By reducing it to a political con­
otherwise have kept off, but mischie­
mountain of a dossier on the CORD
test, the country loses an opportuni­
leader and his associates a day after
ty to get things right.
vously ignored wise counsel or good
judgement on certain situations.
Mr Odinga stirred another storm
over massive corruption claims in
To the politicians and top officials
Though I have a first­hand expe­
caught with their fingers in the till,
rience with doctors, he told me that
government? And that with time, he
one more siren call for accountabil­
a doctor keeps you safe from the
would unleash more dirt?
ity has quickly blurred into the famil­
things that are generally out of your
I am sure all media managers
iar "our tribe is under attack" war cry.
control.
can't wait to get their hands on this.
It is the sort of thing journalists term
One might want to ask; who suf­
fers when public officials engage in
as a juicy story.
sleaze?
Fasten your seats belts and get
ready for another season of Kenyan
melodrama.
Put it another way; when money
meant to educate our future leaders
is stolen, do the thieves do it in the
In rural Kenya, that role is pricey.
Access to what you would term as
quality health care through the pub­
lic hospitals is still a major challenge.
Many dispensaries, health centres
and county referral hospitals lack ba­
Make no mistake, on display here
name of CORD or Jubilee parties or
sic facilities or have facilities that do
is the invidious nature of corruption,
Kalenjin, Kikuyu, Kisii or Luo tribes?
I very much doubt.
Mr Duale to bemuse us with unnec­
not function properly.
Media reports are depressingly
familiar. Most tell about filthy hospi­
tals without drugs and personnel
and of patients sharing beds with
corpses. The poor are left for dead
In truth, the Kenyan people know
essary evidence about what Mr
here.
that we, the politicians and other
Odinga has been doing under the
public servants, aspire for high office
cover of darkness.
the cupidity of our politicians and
how when cornered, they cry foul.
Remember the analogy that when
you point at others, four fingers ac­
tually point at you?
Yet it is because the burden of re­
sponsibility for the ruling coalition is
high that we didn't expect the likes of
On the other hand, no Kenyan
with money will voluntarily seek
to a make a lot of money. And that
Business in Parliament, he ought to
be nudging the Directorate of Crim­
most of us, if not all, serve narrow
inal Investigation, the EACC and the
health services from a public health
facility.
Though some private hospitals
charge consultation fees way above
political interests.
A Jubilee member, Mr Duale ob­
DPP and others to act swiftly.
even what private hospitals charge in
viously knows the benefits of adding
his boss, come out again and tell us:
less because we want to improve
Instead, as Leader of Government
their lives than because it is a chance
fuel to the war between Jubilee and
"I have done my part at great ex­
Europe, the lines never get shorter.
In Great Britain, private health­
care providers charge around
CORD. That he knows too well.
pense politically... what else can I
ShlO.OOO for first­time visits, a cost
He knows that the ground he is
standing on is getting shakier by the
day. A discerning public is growing
do?" as he did at a State House sum­
that does not increase as long as you
are being treated for the same illness
and you come back for review.
He should not let the President,
mit recently.
Mr Odinga, on the other hand,
restless.
should walk the talk. There is no con­
Something that those politicking
Yet his acts of braggadocio risks
muddying the waters further.
As CORD leader, Mr Odinga knows
that the stakes couldn't be high as we
venience in corruption. We all should
be disgusted by it, not just because it
is a Jubilee­affiliated personality.
about the alleged theft of Sh3 billion
from the Health ministry should
ponder about.
ready for 2017.
Yet despite that, the fight against
corruption should not be a political
It should cut across.
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As we politic about corruption,
here is food for thought: Recently, a
Mr Guleid is the Deputy Governor,
Isiolo County
[email protected]
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya