This is a guest post by Tony Toikan.
Let’s recap the weekend that was, the highlight of course being the resignation of C.S Anne Waiguru from the devolution docket. One would argue that when she resigned, miracles happened, Arsenal lost, Chelsea won, Liverpool owned Manchester City, Barcelona owned Madrid and Leicester topped the league table. Pope Francis would surely not come at any other better time. Her resignation hit the BREAKING NEWS and was picked up by all tabloids like a raging fire.
Let’s now put this into perspective for the government of the day. The citizens of Kenya want some sanity in the ministry of devolution, you have no idea how heart breaking it is for us youth when we hear that money meant to uplift us is lost in the pockets some selected few. I digress. Sanity in this ministry obviously would have started by the president sacking the C.S in the first place or otherwise, who would have guessed that she would step aside owing to “doctor’s advice”
I have nothing against Anne Waiguru, I give it to her for the efforts she has made in reforming the NYS, lighting up slums and unclogging drainages and sewers. But again, when a ministry she heads is repeatedly making headlines for all the wrong reasons and outrageous corruption allegations, the best move is to step aside before the pressure interferes with her health.
My call after her significant resignation is to totally mop out all officers in that ministry holding positions of influence, but yet could not raise the red flag when pens worth Ksh.8000 were being procured, T.V for 1.78Million, a photocopier at Sh1.4 million; 45 external hard disks at Sh11,102 each; a laptop bought for Sh206,000 CorelDraw software for Sh3.4 million; a computer and personal laptop for Sh1.1 million; and carpets at Sh3.8 million.
In one case, the ministry bought one shredder for Sh64,750 and on the same day bought three others for Sh930,000, meaning it paid more than four times the cost of one for the second lot.
These and other inflated expenses according to the Public Accounts Committee Audit report, yet these people are still holding offices. These people must go.
We may accuse the C.S of fraud and put the entire bulk of corruption allegations around her neck but what plays behind the scenes on my account must be more sinister. The P.S Peter Mangiti and NYS boss Nelson Githinji must also be held into account.
I call upon the president and the government of the day to take Kenyans more serious and speak authoritatively against corruption and to no longer cover up conspiracy against the law and tax payers.
Holding people in high ranking offices culpable during corruption allegations is the only way that the government can convince Kenyans that it is genuine in its anti-corruption fight.
Cover Photo: http://www.africaonemedia.com