Moral re-armament will win war on graft

In the preamble of the 2010 Constitution, two fundamental moral statements exalt the people of Kenya to proclaim to be proud of our ethnic, cultural and religious diversity living in harmony as one indivisible sovereign nation.

It also talks of commitment to nurturing and protecting the well-being of the individual, the family, communities and the nation.

These speak to our humanity. Why then is the country engulfed by allegations and charges of corruption, that out of 190 nations of the world, Transparency International places Kenya at number 144 in the corruption index?

Kenyans must accept that we are divided: There are beneficiaries who view corruption as a virtue and the suffering majority that are the victims who view it as a vice.

The difficulty always is to discern who is who. Nevertheless, time has come to collectively determine which side we belong.

Intractable as corruption is, there are Kenyans of goodwill who are determined to get rid of the scourge which is a stone mill around our necks and indeed an existential threat to the nation.

That is why on January 24 and 25 a National Anti-Corruption Conference organised by a multi-sectoral initiative at the Bomas of Kenya, 3,000 people from across various divides participated with one accord.

During the conference, through the initiative of the private sector, a multi-sectoral leadership steering committee, came up with a four-year (2019-2022) anti-corruption programme.

It has the support and the involvement of government and state agencies and council of governors.

This is aimed at a complementarity with the Executive, Judiciary and the Legislature.

One creative recognition by the multi-sectoral initiative is the mobilisation of commitment and diversity of various groups.

They include the private sector, professional associations, youth and women groups, the religious sector, the academia, the media, civil society, public transport sector and other actors.

They have all become enjoined to express support in words and in deed their unswerving belief in the country.

Therefore, all Kenyans should join the anti-corruption clarion call. The alternative is too ghastly to contemplate — becoming an outcast nation.

It is discernible that both the President and the ODM leader are committed to the fight against corruption, a key agenda in the March 9, 2018 “handshake”.

This was clearly manifested when they both spoke at the national anti-corruption conference.

We are also emboldened by the commitment of the Multi-Agency Taskforce headed by the Attorney General and includes Director of Public Prosecutions, Director of Criminal Investigations, Chief Executive of Ethics and Anti-Corruption and Asset Recovery Agency.

Further, after the January 25 conference, Chief Justice David Maraga has taken action, which clearly reflects he appreciates the frustrations of Kenyans on matters corruption.

Most commendable is the role being played by the media which has revealed that billions have been sunk in the so-called dams but with nothing to show for it.

It is noteworthy there has never been an initiative conceived and driven by the private sector on matters corruption.

What was extremely heartening was that at the conference all stakeholders, in unison and without exception, have closed ranks to rid our nation of this most shameful and degrading label.

Time for moral re-armament against corruption could not have come sooner to rein in possessive individualism in total disregard of the laws and the negative impact of their actions to the present and future generations.