It is only in Africa where a corrupt government can be sustained in power even when their corrupt activities are so glaring. The coalition government has failed because corruption runs so deep while the citizens seem helpless. You can change it by demanding a caretaker government now! Governance has collapsed and every side of the coalition is competing in outshining each other in looting the national resources. The leadership does not seem to care at all about what the people are saying. Scandals that run into billions are dismissed as “useless” while teachers and doctors whose services are visible and measurable manage with very little salaries. So, what is the point for this coalition?  

Kenyans must wake up now and say enough is enough. The idea that our man/people are in government is a useless argument because no one is stealing on behalf of his or her community. A case in point is the withdrawal of Triton case because the money (8.9billion) involved is so trivial, not worth wining about – and we are declaring hunger a national disaster! 

President Kibaki with PM Raila

The arrangement to have ODM and PNU share the leadership of this country after the bungled elections was based on the idea that these leaders would go through a lot of soul searching and retrace where we might have gone wrong as a nation. What had happened in Kenya was unprecedented having had a peaceful handover of power in 2002 without any skirmishes. Everyone had expected that this would be the trend and norm should people realize that they are being taken for a ride. It confounded everyone who had believed in democracy and basked in the glory that Kenya is a bastion of peace. The mandate given under Kofi Annan led group of negotiators provided a rare opportunity for our country through the leaders in ODM and PNU to redress the anomalies that led to the massacres and, later the kind of progroms that globally shamed our nation.  

Despite all efforts to have the coalition address some of these pressing issues since last year, what has confounded Kenyans is the speed with which public assets are being plundered. There is massive looting by both sides as if there is no tomorrow for the people of Kenya. Some are even hiring the expertise of specialized looters from outside to help them “steal from their own pockets”. What a shame! The country has run out of any justification to keep this coalition in power even for a day.  

A caretaker committee must be put in place to deliver this country from the jaws of these shameless leaders. The looting and primitive accumulation of wealth taking place in almost all sectors of government cannot be stopped if we give these people more time to loot. There will be nothing for the next generation. Kenya needs selfless people; leaders who understand that with good laws and strong institutions, everyone will have enough from our collective resources.  

At some point I almost wondered why so many people are resorting to loud prayers during the breaks from work. It has dawned on me- and the words of philosophers have been proven- that people turn to seek higher intervention when the leadership of this world has failed them. The leadership in Kenya has failed prompting people to seek higher intervention. This can be corroborated by the enthusiasm that greeted the election of President Obama in America.  

After carefully observing the political theatre in Kenya, I believe that only a caretaker government will help this nation. People are steeped in looting that there is no credible leader who can provide the vision and leadership needed to propel the nation to the level of industrialized world. With so many vested interests within the current leadership, the constitution can only be done by independent groups under a caretaker government. It’s the same caretaker government that will put the new ECK in place and organize for the 2012 elections. If the country fails to adopt these proposals, the magnitude of chaos that will ensue will never be comparable to what happened in 2007/8.  

This prescription is based on the fact that the leaders in Kenya lack attitudes. They are arrogant, disrespectful to their electorates and, are not answerable to anybody. We must appeal today, to the conscience of our people, the church and the international community to help us in this new journey in search of a credible leader. The plunder and pillage of our national resources by a macabre of gluttonous hyenas in this parliament and other government sectors has really gone overboard. We, therefore, must stand up as a people in order to curtail this dangerous avarice. This is the only country where MPs are earning more than Prime Ministers of European countries and still refuse to pay taxes. The same MPs controls tax-payers money in the form of CDF yet they don’t pay taxes. Whose tax money are these MPs trying to control?  

Despite the huge salaries and perks they rake in, they are still mired in all forms of corruption. Today, all innovative activities have collapsed. Corruption is the only lucrative innovative activity that Kenyan leaders are immersed in with all their families. Cabinet appointments reward those who have excelled been and exhibited sophisticated acumen in corruption. Even those who participated and organized the massacres of fellow Kenyans get promoted with coveted ministries for their superb assignments. What kind of governance is this? According to my knowledge, this coalition was not meant to last for more than two years but some people within the coalition feel that the short spell will interfere with their “grand eating”. Therefore, they keep insisting that they need more time to loot. We cannot go on like this, fellow countrymen. A caretaker committee must be in place to save this country, and I will be ready to serve if only my selfless service can bring hope to the already hopeless in Kenya. 

Dr. Otieno Mbare is a research fellow and Lecturer in Finland

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