FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

Michael Ochula: Lawyering for the corrupt hindering graft war

The creation of a clean legal system is a compelling need, if the fight against corruption is to bear fruit

In Summary

• High-profile perpetrators of mega corruption undertake a cost benefit analysis of engaging in graft, taking into account any attendant legal consequences.

• They begin by planning how to get away with it in the event law enforcement agencies catch up, or how to navigate the judicial system for light or favourable sentences.

Corruption is one of the greatest challenges facing our country today.

Despite continued efforts to combat corruption, including conviction and imprisonment of hundreds of high-ranking government officials, politicians and private individuals, the quest to tame white-collar crime in Kenya remains an elusive goal to attain.

Notably, many people found guilty of corruption have shown no remorse or humiliation. Under such circumstances, even if all the graft suspects were arrested and brought to justice, there is no guarantee corruption would stop or be uprooted.

It is irresistible to opine that high-profile perpetrators of mega corruption undertake a cost benefit analysis of engaging in graft, taking into account any attendant legal consequences. They apparently begin by planning how to get away with it in the event law enforcement agencies catch up, or how to navigate the judicial system for light or favourable sentences.

An analysis of emerging trends and patterns reveal that most mega scandals are usually well planned and executed by well-organised cartels with roots spread across different institutions and sectors.

In some incidences, corruption cartels are so powerful and meticulous they, more often than not, operate as a parallel system of government. In such networks, one thing clearly stands out: That no single mega corruption scandal is planned or executed without the input of a professional at one stage or another. As part of perfecting their operations, corruption cartels run by professionals target their weaponry towards capturing justice systems and processes.

Effective anti-corruption strategies must, therefore, of necessity, focus on dismantling or disrupting the corruption networks as well as bolstering professional ethics and responsibility. Clearly, professionals in Kenya bear a significant portion of blame for the challenges that bedevil the country.

Some of them have contributed to impunity as opposed to advancing the rule of law as per their calling. Under the Advocates Act, legal professionals have a cardinal role in advancing the rule of law and public interest. However, majority of lawyers in Kenya have specialised as merchants of corruption and money laundering in the administration of justice, thus leading to denial of justice, human rights violations and general defilement of the law.

In this regard, the creation of a clean legal system is a compelling need, if the fight against corruption is to bear fruit. The fight will not be successful if the current integrity deficits among legal professionals remain unaddressed. This also applies to other law enforcers including judges, magistrates, prosecutors and legislators amongst others. In short, Kenya’s anti-corruption war will not be won unless and until the obstacles to the rule of law are removed.

Under the rule of law principle, the law (including the anti-corruption law) is enforced equally against everyone. Without the rule of law, there will be the “rule of force” and justice will be determined by how much power or influence a man holds or how much money he is willing to pay. The denial of the rule of law in preference for the rule of force will have its consequences. Without the rule of law, the rule of the jungle takes hold and the weak fall victim to the strong and nobody is safe.

Law is the very foundation of a peaceful and prosperous society, which we all can benefit from. It creates a disincentive for the corruptors or crooked people not to do what they want. The most fundamental requirement for us to uphold the rule of law is to have credible lawyers and lawmakers and law enforcers taking the lead in upholding and defending the law.

There will be no rule of law without credible lawyers who embrace honest living and are committed to promoting justice in all its facets. The absence of credible lawyers to carry out such mission presents a disincentive to corruption eradication. In the fight against corruption, lawyers are an important instrument because they are the key actors in our legal system, which is apparently not functioning properly.

They have a key role in the liberation of our country from the shackles of corruption and impunity All the government efforts in the fight against corruption and unethical conduct will fail if majority of lawyers take an opposing stance or act as onlookers.

It is regrettable to see more and more lawyers standing up, not to fight corruption, but “for” corrupt suspects instead. They appear to have no respect for their calling and conscience. The comforting news is that there are still thousands of lawyers out there who have the desire to combat corruption and create a clean legal environment. These lawyers should stand up and share the responsibility for combating corruption. It is not an easy task to execute, but it is also not impossible if they choose to work and fight together.

The writer is a governance expert

ochula.michael@gmail.com

You can always trust politicians to lie

By Michael Ochula

If there were a course of study for aspiring politicians in Kenya, then it would be a
common unit at first year in the University – ‘Lying 101’.
The person behind this comment wasn’t joking. She or he had passed the point of
cynical humour; she or he had even passed beyond indifference. Like the majority of
us, she or he now believes a life in politics to be essentially shabby and dishonourable.
Was it ever so? If not, then what has generated the deep cynicism that infects so much
popular discussion of politics across Kenya society?
I suppose that there is always a temptation to ‘romanticise’ the past – to long for a lost,
‘golden age’ in which virtue and patriotism reigned unimpeded. As with every other
arena of human endeavour, human frailty has been at the heart of some of the greatest
dramas in political life. Yet, for all this, it does feel to me as if we have moved beyond
the usual ebb and flow of trust in politicians.
The majority of today’s Kenyan politicians are as idealistic as those that went before
them. The majority wish to serve their constituents and to contribute to the task of
building a better nation. So, what has changed? One explanation is to suggest that the
power of modern communications technology and an inquisitive media have combined
to ensure that citizens know far more about the occasional unethical conduct of
politicians than ever would have been the case in the past.
At the same time, there would seem to have been a decline in popular understanding of
the political process and how it works – both in theory and practice. Without the benefit
of a proper understanding of the workings of our political system, it becomes difficult
for the common mwanachi to judge the context within which political behaviour occurs.
Given this, popular stereotypes take root in our minds and feed on whatever prejudices
already exist. Or so the argument goes. There is probably something in this – but not
enough to explain the current level of dissatisfaction.
Instead, I think that the move beyond mere cynicism to justified scepticism can be
traced to four significant changes in the way politics is practised at present. First, there
seems to have been a wholesale abandonment of the principle of political responsibility.
Second, there has been a progressive corruption of the notion of ‘public interest’ so that
it now means little more than the interests of the party in power and with that, a
politicisation of the public service. Third, there has been a loss of faith in the possibility
that power can be won and held without having to sacrifice one’s commitment to a
guiding set of core values and principles of governance.

The fourth change is, however, the most significant. I believe that the decline in the
standing of politicians is directly linked to the perception that they have given up on the
challenge of appealing to the common good that is within us, as a people. Instead, the
current fashion has been to play on our greed, fears, apathy and our prejudices. They
do this in the belief that the ends justify the means, that politics is pointless without
power – often without a moment’s reflection about the effect of such tactics on the soul
of the nation.
Of course, we could refuse to be bought or bullied into surrendering our right to vote.
But in many cases, we don’t. Either way, respect and trust for politicians goes into a
steep decline once this pattern of politics becomes established. Those of us who resist
such tactics end up despising the politicians who are prepared to use them. Ironically,
those of us who succumb to their siren song end up loathing the politicians for seducing
us with such ease, and for making us confront that part of ourselves that it suits us to
deny.
For all the talk about a ‘tall poppy syndrome’, I believe that Kenyans want leaders who
they can look up to and trust. We want leaders who can shape a vision of Kenya that is
worth striving for. We want leaders who have the moral courage to take responsibility
for their decisions and actions. We want politicians who see engagement in public life
as a calling and not just a dirty game. We want politicians who will speak the truth –
even when it harms them to do so. We want politicians who respect us as citizens and
not just as electorates.
There is no simple solution to the task of rebuilding trust in the institutions of
government and our political class. It is a complex task but one that I am convinced can
be achieved – but only when real leadership replaces the counterfeit version that often
masquerades in its place.

We must stop culture of big men, big money politics

Michael Ochula

To run for political office in Kenya means you have to twist the arms of party leaders, flatter their cronies and hand over wads of banknotes to the voters — the cleaner the better.

Individual politicians act as mini welfare states. Their spending often dwarfs their salaries.

When a life in politics costs so much, the impecunious and honest will be excluded.

Many MPs will either be rich to begin with or feel the need to abuse power to recoup their expenses through corrupt practices.

Even if they are not corrupt, MPs are a poor substitute for a genuine welfare state.

Their largesse may go to those who ask loudest or to a favoured ethnic group or clan.

So long as states are weak, it makes sense for voters to ask elected leaders for handouts rather than for better laws or help to navigate the bureaucracy.

It is also rational for MPs to neglect legislative work in favour of gifts and pork if this is what voters say they want.

But as our democracy matures, this should change. As voters grow richer and more educated, they will be harder to buy.

As governments grow more effective, MPs will have fewer gaps to fill. However, the shifts could take decades.

Kenyans need something better, sooner. Outsiders often suggest tougher campaign-finance laws, which seldom work.

They are often ignored. And laws copied from the developed world tend to miss the point, by regulating spending by parties before elections, rather than by sitting MPs.

Better would be to take a different approach. One aim would be to strengthen institutions that expose and punish graft.

Last month Zambians booted out the graft-ridden regime of Edgar Lungu thanks, in large part to enlightened voters.

Another aim is to encourage parties to run on policies rather than ethnicity or patronage.

We need to see them address corruption, unemployment, how to jump-start the economy, improve food security and provide free healthcare for all. 

NGOs, trade unions and business groups should nudge them in this direction or help set up alternatives

The other thing is to bring back public shame about our elected officials. Many Kenyans seem to have abandoned shame.

Today we see some elected officials wear corruption, tribalism, lies and prejudice as a badge of honour.

The truth does not matter to a person who has no shame. Shamelessness has infected our culture.

When leaders cross lines their followers do the same. It is good for Kenyans to know some behaviour aren’t okay.

Shame can be used as an instrument of righteousness calling out leaders who fail to live up to national promise of integrity and prosperity for all.

Kenyans should retain the weapon of healthy shame in their arsenal and that means electing leaders who have the shame to know their actions and words matter. 

The essential thing is to curb leaders’ informal role as source of welfare. The long-term fix would be to make county governments work properly.

A stopgap is to improve Constituencies Development and County Funds. These are pots of public funds to be spent at the discretion of governors and MPs. More than a dozen African countries have CDFs.

They are not grubby as they sound. Research shows voters judge MPs on how they use the funds, so there is some accountability. With greater transparency, they would offer more. 

Fixing pricey politics means tackling political corruption, patronage and having a healthy shame. We must also make politics less costly. — The writer is a governance expert — ochula.michael@gmail.com

Significance of functioning leadership during crisis

Leadership means ‘The buck stops with you. 

It is the responsibility of leaders in any given society to create a culture of leadership development. It is only in our society, when people mention leadership, they think about the those in high ranking positions in government including the head of state. Leadership is defined as the ability to influence, motivate, and inspire a group of people towards a particular direction by inspiration, not intimidation or manipulation. There must be a direction. Mutahi Kagwe, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, showed all these qualities of a leader during the Covid-19 outbreak in the country. 

A leader comes within a period – say, three years and with a clear picture of, ‘This is where I am going.’ It means you are taking the people you lead from a known place to an unknown place that is far better than the current one. For a leader to do that, he or she must have people that will work with. Leadership exists in all spheres of life including the family unit, in schools and even at the individual level, one needs leadership. 

If you don’t have capacity to lead, you cannot progress in life. As a result, short of leadership affects every segment of the polity and it is the promoter of corruption. We should not follow the leader because of his or her tribe; but because of his or her vision for the country or the institution he or she is charged with. Our greatest responsibility as citizens is to think like a leader. If we all think like leaders, do you think the streets would be littered with garbage or someone would steal public funds meant for development. Or would our roads be turned into death traps? Or would we be coerced to abide by government regulations like the curfew or cessation movement to flatten the covid-19 curve? It is lack of leadership that is responsible for the corruption and unethical conducts in the country. In fact, the reason that there is poor planning in most sectors in our country is because of leadership deficit. 

Lack of strong leadership affects everything. We as a society are sitting on a time-bomb because we are not doing enough to grow the next generation of leaders-the youth of this country. There is an argument that do you build people first or build institutions? That is what everyone is doing now-reforming institutions- the judiciary, the police, the Land reforms-were all ‘reformed. Sadly, we are not doing much to grow the leaders of tomorrow-those that will be charged to lead these institutions. The problem is if we are building institutions without building people, someone would emerge who would destroy those institutions. We are talking about Vision 2030, isn’t it? But the people that would drive that vision are the young people today and yet a number of them have no vision, let alone short-term objectives in their lives. The youth of this country need strategic and effective mentorship to enable them defend the Constitution, participate in promoting value-based leadership characterized by integrity which is an integral part of our national value system. However, do we have adequate leaders whom our youth would see as role models to emulate? My guess is as good as mine.

That is the kind of work that ought to be done now. We need to do it for this country right now. Relevant institutions, government ministries and key stakeholders should lead that process. There is self-discovery when young people discover themselves first which I believe is the most important thing. It is not even about employment; employment is the last thing. You should rather spend money in promoting knowledge where people can discover who they are and then find their leadership niche.

The youth need to discover themselves early in life – at less than 20 years old and find their vision. By the time they will be out of school, they would not need to go to anybody to give them a job. Instead they will be job creators and not seekers. This will equip them with the power to fight the battles even in tough, competitive and the ever-shrinking job market. Despite the economy hardship in the country, their heads should be out high to make it in life. 

This article was first published in the PR Digest Magazine, Issue No. 3, 2020.

Flexi hours to dominate work places in the near future

“The difference between mere management and leadership is communication.” This quote is from one of the greatest communicators of all times, Sir Winston Churchill. If ever there’s been a time when mere management won’t cut it and true leadership is necessary-this is it.

Like many PR executives and Communicators, your last few months have probably been spent leading non-stop pandemic-driven business-continuity planning efforts and then getting the word out to employees. You’ve probably addressed more topics in less time than ever before: travel cessations, curfew hours, workplace hygiene guidelines, voluntary pay-cut, reductions in work force, work-from-home and flexi hours arrangements, among other COVID-19 pandemic protocols.

But now, we appear to be entering a new phase. As most countries grapple with opening their economies, many organisations are busy preparing return-to-work plans for every possible scenario, in every location, for every employee preference. For sure, this won’t be easy.

Whatever your institution’s plans would look like, one key variable that could decide success or failure for return to work is compelling strategic corporate communications. Some of the key considerations while communicating during this period are being: credible, cadence and churning out relevant content. These communication elements can serve you effectively when relaying critical information as return-to-work is at the top of many companies’ agendas.

Credibility

Your institution senior leadership needs to establish credibility for all your pandemic communications beginning with key messages about the pandemic, organisation policies and statements of principles. Credibility for your communication must start at the top, but don’t stop there. These can then be cascaded to functional leaders who can drill down with more details and granularity at lower altitudes, including which departments are opening when, how and what changes are expected. For example, you may have weekly messages going out to staff from your senior leaders thematically discussing the impact to specific parts of the business operations, the back-office-followed by units’ head cascading more specific information on down the line. This strategy aligns the leadership of the organization and instils trust. 

However, communicating about the new realities should not be top-down only. It should also be bottom-up and organic from within your organization. With so many negative headlines hitting us these days, offer employees open communication platforms and channels to express themselves. Providing a safe space to relieve pressure and anxiety is definitely the right move. This channel will foster authenticity in the communication and encourage transparency: 

Content

In communication, elegance is fantastic, but content is king. I would advise PR and Communication executives to focus on content that addresses employees’ No. 1 concern: “What does this mean for me?” Chit-chats flourish at workplaces in the absence of credible information. This represents a destructive force among employees. PR executives and Communicators need to be as candid, factual and specific as possible. If you don’t have all the answers, say so. But be sure to follow up.

Communicators need to create feedback loops so employees’ concerns are heard-and, most importantly-addressed. You need to better understand your colleagues’ concerns about issues affecting them for example, how do they commute to work during this COVID-19 period; this ultimately, may lead your organisation to design better policies for the common good of all employees. Moreover, a listening component can turn your employee communication into more of a two-way conversation than a one-way tête-à-tête. In this way, all employees then become part of the solution.

At the same time, you’re communicating “need to know,” also communicate “nice to know” by acknowledging employees, instilling pride and modelling positive behaviours for others to emulate. In your weekly emails, you may include policy announcements as well as stories about employees donating food stuff for the needy. Don’t just tell them you care-show them you care by acknowledging their hard work and generous spirit.

Cadence

During times of non-stop change like these, it’s understandable that employees are seeking as much stability and predictability as humanly possible. One way to establish at least a modicum of control is by creating a regular and strategic communications cadence so staff know when to expect information and look forward to it.

Message repetition also helps. And to be truly effective, it’s important to vary how employees hear that repetition. Because employees consume information differently-some are more visual, others prefer the written text, while others trust numbers more-as communicators we need to try to vary our communication mediums with infographics, blog posts, flyers, emails and short videos clips. It’s better to have one message that’s communicated via three or more different channels than three different emails.

A well-planned communications cadence-promised and delivered-can not only help create a much-needed routine for employees but it can also help build institutional trust. At a time when we’re all taking virtual meetings from our well-kept gardens, sitting rooms or home office, therefore, no one is expecting a Hollywood-level video cut production. A simple, from-the-heart video message recorded on your smart mobile phone will go a long way and be far more authentic.

As institutions conduct their return-to-work planning, we’re all learning that the future of work will likely involve a blended mix of flexible work-from-home, flexi-hours plus work-in-office solutions. And, although I don’t know the specific policies your institution will likely enact, I do know this: This isn’t a time for mere management. This is a time for PR and Communication leadership. The difference-as always-will be communication. That much will never change, and now’s the time to act. 

This article was first published in the PRDigest Magazine, Issue No. 4, 2020.

IMAGE IS EVERYTHING: THE IMPORTANCE OF DRESS CODE AT YOUR WORK PLACE

BY OCHULA MICHAEL

“Do not judge a book by its cover”, unfortunately, in the corporate world today, that is exactly what happens. Personalities, social status and attitude to work are a few of the dimensions that our image portrays of us, it is the same for corporate identity. Unfortunately, not all employees have a clear vision about how they should dress in the workplace, which creates a risk that the appearance of such an employee may distort the perception the public has of the organization.

Matthew Randall, the executive director of the Center for Professional Excellency, once said, “The way an individual dresses for work can be a powerful extension of his personal brand. Clothes, accessories and even the footwear an employee chooses to wear help to reinforce or diminish his skills and clients.” Clothes describe a person without words. From the way we dress conclusions are drawn about our personal characteristics, social status and attitude to work.

One of the laws of psychology of perception states that seeing a man in an expensive, well-fitted suit, makes us assimilate him with greater competencies and positive qualities, rather than dressed in faded jeans and t-short. A fundamental feature here, is the need to maintain the professional image and reputation of the organization. If you want to maintain a professional image, you need to ensure that your clothes are well maintained, fit properly, and aren’t too flashy or worn.

In today’s workplace, where casual wear is becoming increasingly popular, it can be tricky to understand the rules of appearance. Casual clothing is not suitable for the workplace. Torn, dirty, or frayed clothing is also unacceptable. All seems must be finished. Any clothing that has words, terms, or picture that may be offensive to other employees is unacceptable. This includes images that are political or religious in nature, are sexually provocative, use profanity or are insulting of other employees.

If you begin thinking of your office attire as your personal brand, you’ll strive to dress appropriately for work and you will appreciate the value of doing so. Appearance along with communication is one of the top qualities associated with professionalism. Be modest. It is most important to get attention for great work rather than gaining attention for wearing the latest fashion fad or inappropriate leisure wear.

Beware of casual Fridays. Casual Fridays have the potential to turn into real fashion disasters which is why you’ll probably see some staff showing up in the office in inappropriate attire. They take casual to a level that was never intended when the institution made the policy. It is important to remember that the work-week long does not end on Thursday and that the image and messages sent on Friday must be consistent with each of the previous days of the week. Fridays are informally designated by institutions as a dress down day. On these days, business casual trousers, skirts and blouses, and no tie for men are encourage; skirts and blouses for women are advised although not potentially being offensive to others.

Corruption, Campaigns and Elections

In the next few months, Kenyans will be wading into an electioneering and party nomination which some politicians have promised to be the fight for the ‘haves and the have not’. In a democratic society, the principal goal of holding primary nominations and the actual election is to transfer the right to elect a candidate from an elite, entitled few into the hands of the majority voters.

Electorates in each constituency will have a choice among candidates, whom they believe will pay attention to the issues the public considered important. This process, if it passes the integrity test will alleviate corruption that is usually embedded in our campaigns and election process. Abuse of state resources by the incumbents for re-election is harmful to political competition and for the common good.

It constitutes corruption, if we extend the definition of corruption beyond “abuse of entrusted power for private gain” to include political gain as well. The abuse of state resources for political gain encompasses any activity that affects the financing of political parties or of elections in such a way as to favour one party or candidate at the expense of other contenders. It damages the electoral competition and process by putting state resources at the disposal of other contenders. Besides, it negatively influences the quality of government to effectively and efficiently deliver services when national security and safety, water and food security, education or health care and general social protection to citizens are made contingent on their voting pattern.

Despite its relevance to fair political competition and public sector integrity, the issue of abuse of public resources for political gain has not been given the weight and attention it deserves. When public officeholders funnel state resources into election campaigns, they not only fatten their pockets with public funds, but rather bias electoral competition by investing public money in their own campaigns. This practice endangers our democracy by tilting political contests in favour of the incumbent or incumbent’s chosen ‘sons’ and ‘daughters’. It also reduces trust in the legitimacy of political representation, since electorates perceive politics to be manipulated by those in power or party leaders rather than based on fair competition. In addition, when state resources are used to favour the ‘politically correct’ or those in the correct or tribalised or villagised political party, the citizens end up paying the bill.

To some extent, incumbent politicians make decisions about use of resources with an eye to their effect on re-election prospects, thus taking advantage of incumbency. The issue of abuse arises when such actions are illegal or lead to unfair electoral advantage. However, incumbent officeholders may also mobilize public resources in support of their own election campaigns. While abuses of resources are aimed at securing re-election, they are not necessarily limited to the time period of the campaign, but may continue over a longer period for such purposes as financing ‘home coming’ political parties and maintaining networks of political clienteles.

Abuse of public resources to win a political nomination or an election, when successful, yields a political benefit for the officeholder (re-election) as opposed to a personal benefit (for example, money from a bribe). The distinction between private and political benefit is important, however, because each has its own distinct incentive structure. Demand for bribes by public officeholders is strongly influenced by individual need and greed. Demand for campaign resources in general, and consequent abuse of public resources, also depends on individual ambition to achieve public office.

Incumbent elected public officeholders have access and influence to resource and infrastructure which they can mobilize for reelection. All these forms of abuse of office are possible only when officeholders violate the values and principles of public service, which include transparency and public accountability for administrative acts, independence and high standards of professional ethics, clear rules for the interface between the state and the business sector, and high standards of quality for public service delivery. The damage to democracy is derived from the unlevel playing field that increases the re-election chances of incumbents. The costs to public service come from the reduced integrity and efficiency of public administration, since the diversion of resources incurs financial costs for the institutions involved and the public loses.

Michael Ochula

Character Education: An Ethical Choice for Institutions of Learning

Michael Ochula

The difficulty with ethical reasoning among Kenyan youth today sounds an alarm signaling the need for purposeful character education in our homes and institutions of learning (schools and universities). As the national school curriculum reform gets underway, if character education does not form part of it, we will find that adults will not have the character and the values needed to be decent members of the community.

Since independence, educators have emphasized educating the whole student as a primary goal of the profession. Today, as tribalism, bigotry, violence, drug and substance abuse, assault and sexual harassment persist in our schools and on university campuses, stakeholders in the education sector must assess their approach to education of the whole student. Currently, a purposeful approach to character education, “the training of heart and mind toward the good” is re-emerging as an effective way to develop higher ethical standards in our students.

Parents, educators and academicians alike widely understand character to mean a cognitive and behavioral conception of what is right. Good character, has the distinction of “knowing the good, desiring the good, and doing the good”. In desiring good, a student is able to reach a level of commitment to what is right in order to cement himself or herself to the ideals of good character.

Assisting our youth to understand, desire, and act on what is right is the essence of educating for character. A fundamental part of attending to the whole student, character education is “the development of ethical conduct in students as well as ethical reasoning and understanding”. Furthermore, character education aims to “enhance the capacity to defer impulses and make the right judgment. I honestly believe if we challenge our students, if we are willing to take risks, if we are willing to take positions on issues, if we are willing to share our values-then [we are] promoting the moral development of our students.

Policy makers in the education sector have an obligation to provide sound character education if they are to be true to the mission of the profession. Educating the whole person inherently means educating each student for character, fostering within him or her the abilities to assess and act on what is good. Whether values are taught formally in the curriculum or not, the attitudes, conduct, and beliefs of students have always been influenced by their institutions of learning

For over a century, educating for character was a primary mission of education in Kenya. Through the early years of mission schools and independence, character training in the form of ethics and values remained central to the core curriculum. The commitment to character education was evident in the mission statements of schools, colleges and universities across the nation which emphasized the development of the capacity to think clearly about moral issues and to act accordingly. Educating for character was, at this time, a purposeful venture teaching students the fundamentals of moral reasoning through regular academic course work.

However, the focus of secondary and higher education in Kenya began to shift. Character education moved to the background as schools put more emphasis on academic excellence while colleges and universities began to emulate the research habits and commercialised higher education. Thus development of students’ ethical and moral reasoning virtually disappeared in the shadow of academic mastery. Manipulation of facts, examination malpractice, forgery of academic papers and plagiarism became the end of academic life; mastery of the world took precedence over mastery of self.

The Kenyan society today is demanding that educators reverse their hands-off, value-neutral approach to character education. The cultivation of virtue is inherent to school and university education. Institutions of learning are obliged to help students learn how to lead ethical and fulfilling lives and adhere more purposefully to their original mission statements which expressed a clear commitment to the development of character.

 

 

You can always trust politicians to lie

Michael Ochula

If there were a course of study for aspiring politicians in Kenya, then it would be a common unit at first year in the University – ‘Lying 101’.
The person behind this comment wasn’t joking. She or he had passed the point of cynical humour; she or he had even passed beyond indifference. Like the majority of us, she or he now believes a life in politics to be essentially shabby and dishonourable.
Was it ever so? If not, then what has generated the deep cynicism that infects so much popular discussion of politics across Kenya society?
I suppose that there is always a temptation to ‘romanticise’ the past – to long for a lost, ‘golden age’ in which virtue and patriotism reigned unimpeded. As with every other arena of human endeavour, human frailty has been at the heart of some of the greatest dramas in political life. Yet, for all this, it does feel to me as if we have moved beyond the usual ebb and flow of trust in politicians.
The majority of today’s Kenyan politicians are as idealistic as those that went before them. The majority wish to serve their constituents and to contribute to the task of building a better nation. So, what has changed? One explanation is to suggest that the power of modern communications technology and an inquisitive media have combined to ensure that citizens know far more about the occasional unethical conduct of politicians than ever would have been the case in the past.
At the same time, there would seem to have been a decline in popular understanding of the political process and how it works – both in theory and practice. Without the benefit of a proper understanding of the workings of our political system, it becomes difficult for people to judge the context within which political behaviour occurs. Given this, popular stereotypes take root in our minds and feed on whatever prejudices already exist. Or so the argument goes. There is probably something in this – but not enough to explain the current level of dissatisfaction.
Instead, I think that the move beyond mere cynicism to justified scepticism can be traced to four significant changes in the way politics is practised at present. First, there seems to have been a wholesale abandonment of the principle of political responsibility. Second, there has been a progressive corruption of the notion of ‘public interest’ so that it now means little more than the interests of the party in power and with that, a politicisation of the public service. Third, there has been a loss of faith in the possibility that power can be won and held without having to sacrifice one’s commitment to a guiding set of core values and principles.
The fourth change is, however, the most significant. I believe that the decline in the standing of politicians is directly linked to the perception that they have given up on the challenge of appealing to the common good that is within us, as a people. Instead, the current fashion has been to play on our greed, fears, apathy and our prejudices. They do this in the belief that the ends justify the means, that politics is pointless without power – often without a moment’s reflection about the effect of such tactics on the soul of the nation.
Of course, we could refuse to be bought or bullied into surrendering our right to vote. But in many cases, we don’t. Either way, respect and trust for politicians goes into a steep decline once this pattern of politics becomes established. Those of us who resist such tactics end up despising the politicians who are prepared to use them. Ironically, those of us who succumb to their siren song end up loathing the politicians for seducing us with such ease, and for making us confront that part of ourselves that it suits us to deny.
For all the talk about a ‘tall poppy syndrome’, I believe that Kenyans want leaders who they can look up to and trust. We want leaders who can shape a vision of Kenya that is worth striving for. We want leaders who have the moral courage to take responsibility for their decisions and actions. We want politicians who see engagement in public life as a calling and not just a dirty game. We want politicians who will speak the truth – even when it harms them to do so. We want politicians who respect us as citizens and not just as electorates.
There is no simple solution to the task of rebuilding trust in the institutions of government and our political class. It is a complex task but one that I am convinced can be achieved – but only when real leadership replaces the counterfeit version that often masquerades in its place.

Curbing Corruption to Achieve Millennium Development Goals

By Michael Ochula
The worse our country’s image becomes to the investors, which is exacerbated by amongst other; crime, corruption and poor delivery of basic services, so despondency begins to set in amongst its people.
This in turn causes ‘rot’ to occur, with direct implications upon the country’s ability to produce and grow its economy. Kenya’s predicted double digit Gross Domestic Product has been battling for years to achieve respectable figures, unlike other developing countries who have respectively achieved 8.9 and 9.6 percent in recent years. For Kenya to achieve its primary MDG goals; to halve poverty, reduce child mortality by two thirds and achieve universal access to primary education, at least 7% year-on-year GDP is required. At our current rates of development, Kenya, will battle to achieve the MDGs and in some cases, at least 150 years will still be required for some sub-Saharan African countries to achieve them.
With the backdrop of these sober facts; notwithstanding the government’s best intentions to root out corruption, Kenya will first need to address it’s more pressing problems. For example, before Kenya can realistically address its MDGs, it will need to address the over ballooning public sector’s wage bill which has been caused mostly through corruption, maladministration, nepotism and cronyism. Clearly, all these matters pose serious threats to our democracy and the basic rights of all our citizens.
Considering these conditions, and given the poor state of affairs our country currently finds itself in, if there is not a serious and committed effort on behalf of the government to remedy this rapidly declining socio-economic situation, the very fibre of our society will have been diminished as the scourge of corruption continues to decay our values. Regrettably, whilst there may be a political will by some to effect positive change, far too often the instruments of law to cause such change are not consistently applied. The net result of poor performance in these matters may ultimately see Kenya declining further in its international rankings, such where the country is regarded as a high risk and poor ‘investment of choice’ destination.
With this as a backdrop, a clear tone of our country’s executive leadership is set; understandably it is very disconcerting and problematic to imagine how the MDGs can be achieved when corruption is on the increase! Clearly, the impacts of corruption in Kenya are enormous, with estimates suggesting that the cost of goods and services rises by a whopping 20%; a situation which most citizens can hardly afford. Expectedly, the worst hit victims of the consequences of corruption remains with the poorest of the poor – and those who cannot afford to pay for the greed of a few. These are the people who rely on the government to achieve its MDGs, and some state of ‘normality’.
The race for achieving the MDGs should by now be entering the home
stretch! We ought to be preparing for a final push, and rejoicing in the
improvement of millions of lives across the country. Achieving the MDGs is not only about having enough money. It is also about finding solutions and bringing an end to the blatant corrupt business practices and greed. Furthermore, hard line criminal sanctions are seriously wanting; such where moral and ethical conflicts make it virtually impossible to run a business ethically, or even performing the simplest of tasks such as applying for a national identity card or taking an exam and passing it without having to pay a bribe. In short, success in achieving the MDG’s is mostly, it seems, about politics, and the need to devise political solutions to the underlying causes which plague many governments where corruption is endemic. Of course, getting rid of this corruption and cancerous behaviour involves more than merely providing necessary laws and money. It most certainly also requires a mental shift, being cognizant that corruption silently destroys and undermines the core values of a society’s honesty and integrity. Accordingly, ethics and a value system are also paramount to achieving the MDGs.
The responsibility for dealing with corruption falls squarely on all parties from governments and donors, to civil society and individual citizens. Anti-corruption measures and solutions exhibit that increased transparency, accountability and integrity translate into better outcomes for many of the MDG’s targeted areas. The breakdown of transparency, accountability and integrity, is considerably thwarting progress towards achieving the MDG’s. Needless to say, complacency is the constant companion of corruption! Our country and its people are being ravaged by corruption; it is time for citizens and organisations to take a proactive stand in combating and exposing corruption.