I would develop depression if I saw evidence that stolen loot is invested abroad as opposed to locally. Much as money is stolen through creative tendering schemes and creative accounting techniques, I want to believe most if not all is invested right here in our motherland. My little knowledge informs me this is the reason our economy remains resilient, doesn't lose.

We might be losing on govt service delivery but the money, or most of it is still circulating here.

I can also attest to the fact that theft of public funds is a complicated affair, and I highly doubt the 300b figure. The systems in place are too thorough, too complex......

I'm not worried, but the future worries me. In my slum town of mombasa, I'm not surprised at the shutting down of several big hotels during peak season.......if we cannot fix infrastructure. Joho n his cronies cannot inspire a goat!

Money will hence be diverted from critical services to individuals, but remain within the economy nevertheless.........booming economy, bad roads etc

The more the reason I would vote again n again for PK. ......for he is a benevolent dictator!

You are on point about the consequences of transfering money from the govt to a few individuals within the same economy. Govt is for all. Few corrupt fellows are for themselves, though they tend to spend n spur a dull economy.

We need a president who LOVES TANGIBLE DEVELOPMENT. Not strictures, sijui human rights sijui freedom......Africa needs tangible development FIRST, not these other oportunistic developments.....the west was built on Railways, Roads, Agrarian and Industrial revolutions, not stupid human rights for mungiki, mafia and militia.......Somebody take over from where baks left!

Kenyans cannot overcome our own corruption. Human beings will always steal if they can get away with it. They will only stop if there is a deterrent. If Mr.President starts to enforce the law and call out the thieves, if judiciary is empowered to throw people in prison. If president empowers the anti corruption authority......we will see progress.

President has the most power to lead a cultural shift away from impunity. He seems unwilling.

You are right however that this is our fault as Kenyans. Instead of voting on issues like corruption, crime, security etc , we have chosen tribalism and tyranny of numbers as our primary election criteria. We are quick to make excuses for a leader if he happens to be from our ethnic group.

If Kenyans chose to make corruption the number one voting issue as Indians did in their recent election then elected officials would do something about.

Thats why I always say tribalism is the biggest cancer. We cannot progress if tribe is the number one criteria for voting. We cannot prosper if we keep making lame excuses for our leaders.

@ Kratos
What Kenya needs most is a cultural shift away from the culture of impunity and thievery.


1. Much corruption happens because the thieves are protected by president or other authorities. Rather than protect thieves he can ensure that thieves are prosecuted and publicly shamed

2. We all know the judiciary is not independent. It is heavily influenced by the office of the president.

3. MPs are constantly fighting the anti corruption authority thus rendering it toothless. President can provide leadership and tell his MPs to stop fighting KACA.

3b. He can publicly support and protect whistleblowers. A classic example of this is John Githongo who had to run for dear life because the government offered him no protection when he was threatened with death by powerful people.


4. All presidential appointees caught stealing should be fired in public by the president and he should publicly call for their prosecution. This includes cabinet ministers. If there is any hint of a scandal, the president himself should call for an independent inquiry.

4b. President should enforce independent audits of all ministries that looks into issues like procurement and tenders. Cabinet secretaries who cannot account for funds or do not follow procurement rules should be fired.

5. If an MP is corrupt, president should urge his supporters not to vote for him next time. UK has a lot of sway among the people. They will quickly dump an MP at Uhuru's request.

6. He can actively speak out against land grabbing and protect activists. A classic example is the Langata primary saga where Uhuru never spoke out until all hell had broken loose. And instead of criticizing the land grabbers, he criticized Boniface Mwangi. We all know the land grabbers are being protected and activists are being hounded with death threats.

6b. President can shift culture by embracing and protecting activists like Boniface Mwangi.
Our first president stood aside as anti corruption activists like Pio Gama Pinto and JM Kariuki were murdered. No effort was made to investigate the murders. In 1990, Ouko was murdered for fighting corruption. Yet again The killers were protected by the president.

6c. I understand Gado was fired from Daily Nation at Uhuru's behest. This shows you how much power and influence a president has. If you think it is limited to his constitutional powers, you are mistaken.

7. Most importantly : A president should never benefit from corruption. Our first president (kenyatta) was a major land grabber who encouraged others to steal. Moi looted the treasury dry and encouraged his cohorts to steal. But unconditional support based on tribalism kept them in power.

I could go on and on but these are just a few of the things a president can do. Bottomline is that a president has the most power to fight corruption. He has cultural influence, he has a mandate, he has a big platform to speak out and he has constitutional powers. Nyerere fought corruption in Tanzania very successfully(admittedly he was too extreme). Since he left office, Tanzania has been drifting deeper and deeper into Kenya-like thievery.