CORRUPTION

.....Corruption mania.....In matters of tackling this frenzied corruption ...the burden of proof lies squarely on President Uhuru Kenyatta's shoulders and his Government. The buck will always stop at the Presidents' doorstep when it comes to matters of fighting corruption. He is the one who is mandated by the Kenyan citizenry and the constitution to lead the nation to prosperity and help to eradicate the vices and ills that bedevils the nation.

And, that's why public institutions with different mandated are constituted to help him govern the nation.

The President also convinced us that he is capable of fighting graft and eradicate it from the systems of governance.

Now questions are begging as to whether he has the necessary willpower to fight and tackle corruption which has engulfed his administration. He is been asked whether he will manage to break the blockchain of powerful cartels who are in his government.

Revelations of frenzied corruption at the National Youth Service, National Cereals and Produce Board, Kenya power and other institutions are grave and require serious and urgent attention. And, now, President Uhuru must act to end this runaway corruption. He must deal firmly and ruthlessly with the corrupt in the Government. Heads must roll, culprits must be prosecuted and cash and properties illegally acquired, seized and returned to the state.

Each an every day we are waking up to damning corruption scandals that have infiltrated the public institutions. And, these corrupt deals are well orchestrated by corrupt government officials working in total cahoot with corrupt cartels. This raises million dollar questions as to the extent to which government officials can be trusted to carry out functions in the public interest.

The growing list of corrupt deals is astounding and disgusting. And, this latest corrupt scandals which have been exposed adds to the list of numerous corrupt scandals to have engulfed this Jubilee government.

A few individuals in Government working in cahoot with corrupt wheel dealers have turned public institutions into cash cows and dens of corruption. Billions of cash are routinely lost in dubious deals but nothing happens to perpetrators.

Now, it is high time the institutions that are mandated to investigate and prosecute corruption cases took drastic measures to investigate and prosecute this cases with renewed synergy never seen before. They shouldn't engage in futile public relation exercise to hoodwink Kenyans that they are acting whereas underhand currents are always at play and at the end of it all, the prime suspects go scot free.

The Daily Nation's 29th May, editorial cartoon surmarised the current pathetic situation at the National Youth Service where the corrupt wheel dealers have turned the National Youth service into a cash cow.

Right now, National Youth Service is on the spot overthe suspected loss of Kshs.9 billion. Preliminary investigations have established very scary schemes, some quite naive and simplistic, but worked nonetheless to loot public funds.

And, the highlight of this National Youth Service corrupt scandal exposed Anne Ngirita, as the main suspect where she was paid millions of shilling for delivering nothing.

For National Youth Service, this is season 2. The first scandal in which an estimated Shs.791 million was lost under the watch of then Devolution Cabinet Secretary, Anne Waiguru, of which forced her out of office and was never resolved. In that scandal, Josephine Kabura was the prime suspect.

National Cereals and Produce Board, is suspected to have lost billions through irregular payments made for questionable maize deliveries. Moreover, the board is feared to have lost fertilizers worth KShs. 6.i billion.

Two years ago, Health Ministry found itself in the eye of a storm for suspected loss of Shs.5 billion, but, save for reshuffling of some officials, nobody was ever prosecuted. Similarly, millions were lost at the Rio Olympics in Protected content despite glaring evidence from the investigating team, nothing ever happened to the perpetrators. And, the list of corruption scandals is endless.

And, it seems as if we have reached a stage where corruption has been institutionalised. It starts from the top and percolates down through the system. It is disappointing that the taxpayers have become immune; no longer get agitated, or, infuriated enough to force action.

But, we must slay this corruption dragon once and for all. Time for high sounding pledges, or, threats is over. The buck stops with President Uhuru. He must act, descend ruthlessly on the corrupt and crush their networks