The phrase ‘robbing the dying’ will most likely remind Kenyans of one Margaret Gachara of the NACC corruption fame. It seemed to fit her perfectly as she allegedly swindled money from National Aids Control Council. Money that was meant to go a step in managing the HIV crisis in the country. Part of her reasons for seeking bail was that she was mentally stressed. She had two top notch psychiatrists compile reports to prove that she was indeed stressed and suffering from fear due to negative media reports following her sacking. Stressed? Stressed my foot! Try being HIV positive and not being able to access ARVs because someone stole the money. Then we can talk about stress.
But this is not about Margaret Gachara. In any case her amounts were not that staggering in the face of the recent mega scandals. This is about a bunch of equally sick minds that need psychiatric evaluation, not to establish their stress levels but whether they’re mentally stable at all. These are people who are redefining and embodying the ‘robbing the dying’ phrase a lot more accurately. Corruption at any level is wrong, be it in petroleum or tourism. But the maize saga is particularly disturbing. Someone lining their pockets as Kenyans go hungry is truly sick. Do they watch the news and see Kenyans eating wild roots for lack of basic food?
Worse still is the fact that the real culprits know that nothing will be done to them. With the current mounting pressure, there might be small fish caught here and there but the big ones will be left free to roam the land and organize more scandals. The smaller fish that will be caught will be come up with all sorts of diseases and spend their jail terms in hospital private wards. Then they’ll be given the option to return the cash and walk away.
17 Comments:
I actually wonder whether nothing can be done to put a permanent solution to these issues. Would it be against some funny law to build a pipe from lake turkana to those dry areas for irrigation and animals? we can build the oil pipe so i guess we can do the same with water?
Shiko nice post…. It seems, here at home. we have perfected the act of robbing the living, the dying and the dead. I wonder who is next in their list to be robbed.
Finally a post (yes I have to rub it in) Msichana umetukosea sana, just ask Eunuch.
Eeeeh about the post.......I dont know what to say because these things depress me to another level. Do these people watch on tv those people in Ukambani dying? Boilinh mangoes and what not? Have they heard of children dying in Wajir coz of hunger? This country of ours is on another level!
Odegle karibu around here. There’s not a single funny law like that. Even if there was it can always be undone for the sake of the people. There's soooooo much that can be done.
But the way things seem to work here is that there's money to be made in the building of a pipeline and not in building one to transport water to arid areas. So they go for the pipeline first and line their pockets. Sickos!
Someone talked about diversification of food crops and the problems that are arising from the overreliance on maize. Plus with the effects of displacement of farmers after the elections, it was obvious that a food shortage was looming. Where are the policy makers?
It's just like Budalang'i. People get displaced every other year, then not enough is done and we go back to the same news the next year. If the area is not fit for human settlement and building dykes is not enough, then why not relocate the people? Because that will raise more politics and possible bloodshed in future.
Trust me even this current efforts will still not be carried any further after the crisis is over. We shall beg for food and it shall come by the bucketfulls but after that the crisis nothing will be done to ensure that it does not happen in future.
My biggest question is, after ranting and raving here what next can I do? I've done my best to elect a good representative. What else can I do if other constituencies elect crooks?
BP – So sad. Loll have they robbed the dead yet?
Mama – I can’t find Eunuch. He should come and witness my comeback. I had to take a break. I had started posing silly things. The situation is sad.
And what happened to that Mwau trip? Did they go? They’d probably have leant something by now from people who make big things out of deserts. Ama we wait for the Indians and Qataris to come and farm here. Arrrgh!
chenye naeza uliza hawa ni; "utu wao uko wapi?"
I think there is only one lasting solution to this perennial problem: a wananchi's revolution. I mean look at many of the developed economies: they have gone through at least one revolution.
Shiko, you are right, there is overreliance on maize. We didn't have maize in our diets a few decades ago, and our food was a lot healthier.
Intelligensia mpaka English imepotea! You're piiiiiiised. Hawana utu. when we're told money and power corrupts this is exactly what it means.
Rafiki when didn't we have maize in our diets? Wewe natoka wapi? Mimi I ate maize/beans most of my life. Boarding school for you, and home too. We sure were/are healthy.
Rafiki the revolution - but these people will shoot us dead.
Shiko: Maize and beans only won't make you healthy, but it can provide you with the basics (that is energy and protein requirements) at a low cost. However, you miss out on many on the micronutrients like vitamins (which you would find in fresh fruits etc.). Sifted maize meal is inappropriate in terms of nutritional value. You may look healthy, but maybe you are not. Maybe you are not exploiting your full potential.
Maize is foreign. Ask your great-grandmother whether she ate maize when she was a child.
Shiko: And yes, many people die in revolutions. But in the end the voices of the masses will be more powerful than the guns of the few.
Ciku,
Welcome back and thanks for proving that the COBWEBS can go in a flash.
As for the eating thieves kwani hawa wamekula mbuzi yako? In Kenya anything goes. You can drown in you own sorrow when you start complaining. They are so SHAMELESS and we are stack with them like kupe, WASHINDWE PEPO MBAYA.
At long last, karibu and you owe us a treat for the e-starvation, ama sivyo mama?
EUNUCH
That was the REAL EUNUCH, certified by the POPE.
yup Kenyans know who are involved in these shady deals..yet they still walk..
And here we are condemning countries like Zim when we have our own huge issues to deal with..
sad...
Rafiki someone should tell that to lots of boarding schools that serve that dish day in day out although there is usually a few ugalis and rice here and there. Lucky for us we were in a productive area and fruits were in plenty. Otherwise present day Shiko is a health freak almost.
Val we have no moral authority to talk about Zim as much as things are far worse there.
Taabu cobwebs mpaka December time again for my annual blog leave.
Real Eunuch? Pope? Certified? Is someone smoking something?
Yes, Shiko you owe us! Eunuch aka the real Mwalimu amesema! I agree though he's totally smoking funny stuff.
Mama/Ciku,
Yes I appear SMOKING when I breathe in biting winter. A permanent stream of fake smoke. Otherwise me I DRINK PROPER: water and milk. Wacheni kunionea ama ni wivu juu Pope amenicertify?
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