Grand Coalition in Kenya Accused of Grand Corruption
blurb:isstoday:27012009kenya
27 January 2008: Grand Coalition in Kenya Accused of Grand Corruption
The agreement between the Party of National Unity (PNU) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to form a coalition government following the post election violence early 2008 was cause for a lot of hope and expectation in Kenya. However, even though the partners in the coalition have shown a measure of goodwill and willingness to work together, it has not been plain sailing. This is mostly due to people pursuing a variety of their own political and personal interests. One of the greatest challenges facing the grand coalition is “grand” corruption that seems to be widening the gap between the PNU and ODM coalition government.
Several unscrupulous businessmen driven by the desire to make huge profits are exploiting Kenyans in the supply of maize and petroleum through speculative trading. The slowing global economy last year led to a drop in oil prices from $147 a barrel in July to below $40 a barrel during the second half of 2008. Consequently Triton Oil, one of the companies involved in an alleged petroleum scam, tried to hold on to expensive stock, thereby preventing Kenyans from benefiting from lower prices. This caused an artificial shortage of the product particularly during Christmas holidays, causing shock and panic in the market.
An acute shortage of maize that pushed the prices up was also reported in the country towards the end of last year and the situation has not yet improved. What is disturbing about both food and oil shortages in the country is the accusation that well connected politicians were involved in the scams and were operating alongside the unscrupulous businessmen to exploit the public.
Indeed, Kenyans have been left bewildered at the rate of corruption that is threatening the supply of basic commodities, particularly food and petroleum. In the two sectors, key names of politicians from both PNU and ODM have openly been mentioned in connection with the public offices they hold: Kiraitu Murungi of PNU is the Minister of Energy and William Ruto of ODM is the Minister of Agriculture. Each of them may carry a fair share of the blame, but none of the public officers have accepted any responsibility. Each time the politicians are put on the spot over these scandals, their supporters tend to defend them by passing on the blame to the other side - either the PNU or ODM.
Minister Ruto blames the current food crisis, specifically the shortage of maize, which is the staple food in the country, on post-election turmoil. Meanwhile Justice and Constitutional Minister Martha Karua of PNU reportedly accused officials in the Agriculture Ministry of profiting from the maize shortage. The blame game has also been observed in the oil industry where sufficient explanation has not been offered regarding continued high cost of petroleum products despite a declining global price per barrel. Kenyans are still digging deep into their pockets for pump oil at an average of Ksh 75 to Ksh 85 in the face of dropping global prices.
The government stepped in to import a maize subsidy of five million bags in an attempt to cushion the high prices. However, even this has not resolved the problem as there is still an acute shortage and prices remain beyond the reach of the citizenry. To some extent, the subsidy has been criticized for being insensitive to local farmers who are reportedly holding their produce because of poor prices offered by the government’s Cereals and Produce Board.
In both cases, it is the general public that experience the burden of rising oil and food prices with no end in sight. In different parts of the country, the public has held demonstrations to protest against food and oil prices. The question is for how long will the public continue to suffer because of this blame game without sustainable solutions being found for the country’s problems?
What is obviously lacking is increased collective responsibility in service delivery, accountability and transparency on the part of the grand coalition government. Essentially, the buck stops with the two principles in the grand coalition government, President Mwai Kibaki of the PNU and Prime Minister Raila Odinga of the ODM.
So far, the two principles have not prevailed upon the Ministers of Energy and Agriculture to step down for investigations. Perhaps this might happen in due course in the public interest and in a bold step towards saving the grand coalition. It could be assumed that the two ministers are still waiting for reports from the investigation by the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission (KACC). Unfortunately, the KACC has no prosecuting powers and hands over findings to the judiciary for appropriate action. Hence the investigations by KACC might end up being a public relations gesture without actual prosecution of the culprits as has been the case with several other scandals. For example, the suspects in the Goldenberg and Anglo-Leasing scandals are yet to face the full force of the law.
It is likely that the public, parliament, judiciary and the executive are all largely aware of what remedies must be put in place to end the grand corruption that is threatening the economy and social stability of the country. This notwithstanding, very little has been done by the ruling class and the elite to improve the plight of the public who would be most affected if the grand coalition government collapsed.
While it would be in the interest of all Kenyans and trading partners, particularly neighbouring land-locked Uganda and Rwanda, to have the grand coalition pull through to the next general election, the continued grand corruption is likely to widen the rift in an already volatile partnership riddled with a lot of suspicion and obvious corruption.
Perhaps in the event that the citizenry continues to shoulder the burden of ever escalating energy and food prices, a popular revolution could be in the making - particularly in a youthful nation of over 70% of the population being under 30 years of age. Indeed, the next general election in the country will most likely be determined by such a revolution that might bring the much desired alternative governance in the country.
Augusta Muchai, Head of Pastoralist Security Programme – MIFUGO Project, ISS Nairobi
