Greed as economy hurts

Greed as economy hurts

By MUSYOKA NGUI

When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is to stop digging.-Will Rogers.

Kenya’s economy went south long ago. The signs are out there for all to see. Rising interest rates, weak shilling and debilitating lay offs which are looming in the public sector. Then there is also the recurrent public workers strikes which keep throwing the critical sectors of health and education to confusion, chaos and at times loss of lives.

What is the use of having a trillion shilling budget when we cannot afford education and healthcare? Again the blatant thievery and looting of public coffers makes a mockery of the taxpayers’ blood, sweat and tears.  All these scandals of National Youth Service, Eurobond and controversial tendering in both Laptop and Standard Gauge Railway projects seemingly endorses the new cool way of getting rich without breaking a brow’s sweat.

The Jubilee government’s slogan of kusema na kutender has been interpreted by many as an irregular procurement spree geared to making the rich richer and the poor poorer in the middle of yawning political and ethnic bickering that easily passes off as witch-hunt and utter victimisation of “performers”.

NO MORAL HIGH GROUND

Curiously, it has been said and rightly so believed that those are calling the kettle black have patches of graft themselves. Does Raila Odinga have moral pedestal to accuse Anne Waiguru of corruption while he is accused of mismanaging Kazi Kwa Vijana funds during his stint at the Grand Coalition government?

As the government continues to borrow internally the wananchi will painfully bear with skyrocketing inflation, unaffordable loans and lack of faith in the government and financial sector.

The adage goes that when you find yourself inside a hole stop digging. The government must cut bloated and duplicated services. In a country where alleged thieves get elected in public office and role model for the youth who admire the quick riches, the future is bleak.