State House, Nairobi
It has become fashionable, it seems, for top government officials to apply for more and more money to refurbish their offices. The last time I checked, these government officials have some of the best offices.
They have plush sofas and mod cons that would put any millionaire to shame. Leather sofas and flasks full of tea are a must-have. They are soft, too, the sofas. The type of chair you sink into and just want to lie in all afternoon, while it massages your back.
If I recall correctly, most furniture for government offices was made by the Kenya Prisons Service at reasonable prices. They were of fantastic quality, too. If there is something positive to be said about the Kenya Prison Service, it equips inmates with skills to make the best furniture worthy of any castle.
So, in my opinion, the latest craze of demanding money to refurbish government offices is not inspired by changing the look, but lining pockets. Corruption in Kenya has a pattern, and it spreads across the system like a plague. Once you hear one or two officials demanding a similar thing, then you know that a new route “to eat” public funds has been opened! Requesting Sh500 million to refurbish an office is simply extortionate. Even if crocodile skin is to be used, I bet it won’t cost as much, given the high population of the animals we have in the country.
Having said that, I must commend Parliament for putting its foot down and refusing the demand for millions of shillings to be spent to refurbish offices that do not need it in the first place. Government offices are decorated to standard, and if the new occupants are not happy with the décor, they are free to spend their own money to refurbish them. Government offices are public property, and Kenyans must have a say in how their money is spent to decorate them.
In Kenya’s political world that has gone mad for expensive taste in furniture and fashion, there also exists a parallel world full of poverty, a poor public healthcare system and an underfunded education docket. It is very difficult to reconcile the two on top of run-away corruption that has beleaguered the public sector for years. Sh500 million could do a lot of good for a school. However, those entrusted to run public offices would rather sit on an expensive sofa rather than ensure that no Kenyan dies of starvation.
As more leaders demand money for the refurbishment of their offices, millions of Kenyans are facing famine, floods are ravaging the country, and families cannot afford to bury their loved ones. And the government has not stepped in to offer financial help for those struggling with funeral costs.
To add insult to injury, Kenyatta National Hospital has issued a notice for the disposal of 480 bodies if families fail to identify their loved ones. This is disturbing. The number of unclaimed bodies is very high. To date, no formal inquiry has been made to determine why so many bodies are unclaimed. I believe we need an inquiry so that the dead are given dignified burials rather than being treated like trash.
One recurring issue is that families that can’t afford hospital bills are now faced with an additional problem of paying mortuary fees before they are allowed to collect the bodies of their relatives. This clearly indicates a failure within our hospital funding system, particularly the Social Health Authority and, before that, the National Health Insurance Fund.
As hospital fees become a luxury only the rich can afford, cases of the poor being detained over failure to settle their bills are on the rise. Unfortunately, families are unable to bury their loved ones in a dignified manner because they have no money to foot hospital bills. For many, the easiest option is to leave the bodies in mortuaries and hope for a miracle. That miracle ought to come in the form of a caring and compassionate government, which Kenya has never been blessed to have.
Based on its notice, Kenyatta National Hospital is planning to dispose of bodies, including children. Word has it that these may be the bodies of street children. These children were neglected while alive and forced to survive on dumpsites.
Other bodies may belong to Kenyans who paid taxes dutifully, but who had no relatives. Sadly, part of the taxes they paid are being used to furnish the offices of people who are already on huge salaries. Who should claim these bodies?
There is a huge drive to collect more taxes in Kenya. But this money benefits only a few people, while those who pay the taxes are enduring poverty, a poor healthcare system, and children are unable to access better quality education.
Efficiency is not determined by the quality of office furniture. Let’s stop wasting money on vanity projects that contribute little but take away so much dignity from Kenyans. We must be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers!
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Ms Guyo is a legal researcher, [email protected], @kdiguyo
