Stop feeding graft dragon
EACC Chief Executive Twalib Mbarak. EACC recently released a survey report, “2021 National Ethics and Corruption Survey (NECS)”. As has been the case with its previous ones, bribery topped the rankings.
Despite a heightened debate in the past few decades touching on corruption and unethical conduct in the public sector, there seems to be little, if any, change as far as the public perception and commitment towards the war against the vice is concerned.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) recently released a survey report, “2021 National Ethics and Corruption Survey (NECS)”. As has been the case with its previous ones, bribery topped the rankings. The prevalence of the vice caused the enactment of the Bribery Act, 2016 which provides for the prevention, investigation and punishment of bribery.
Of greater concern, Kenyans have to contend with corruption even at their weakest point—like when seeking medical services, despite affordable and improved healthcare has been a top government agenda since Independence. With corruption, realising a healthy nation is likely to remain a mirage.
But even worse, a sizeable population is still willing to freely engage in acts of corruption and unethical conduct—18.6 per cent of the respondents indicated their willingness to engage in the vice while a slightly lower population (13.9 per cent) had partaken in acts of corruption in the past year.
These findings, coupled with a whopping majority (51.3 per cent) who do nothing at the personal level to help in the war on corruption, point to a society that sees nothing wrong with a vice that continues to ravage the lives and livelihoods of many. Ironically, many Kenyans rate corruption as among their top challenges but still do anything to eradicate it.
One of the reasons that prompt people to pay hefty bribes in the public sector is a delay in service delivery—a core duty of the government. Kenyans continue to suffer poor services from the public sector despite paying high taxes. The national and county governments should enhance service delivery and punish public officials who demand kickbacks.
In our 2023 resolutions, let’s commit ourselves to make individual contributions to the war on graft.
Mr Mbau is a communication specialist. [email protected].
