Are corruption and other forms of moral depravity
the new normal in our society? Has common
decency been bludgeoned out of existence? Are
we afraid to stand up for what is right?
Corruption and all kinds of moral depravity
could be the new normal because half of Kenyan
youth believe it doesn’t matter how one makes
money; 47 per cent admire those who make money by
hook or crook; 35 per cent would take or give a bribe and
30 per cent believe corruption is profitable.
In addition, 73 per cent are afraid to stand up for what is
right: See no evil and hear no evil.
Last week, I was privileged to join outstanding young
Kenyans at the Wangari Maathai Foundation’s Youth Cafe.
Th ese men and women drawn from across this great
land were passionate, visionary, ambitious, altruistic and
unbowed.
We talked about who they are, their personal stories,
their ups and downs. We talked about their source what
made them who they are or what they are continually
evolving into.
We talked about values the essence and the banks of
their beliefs and principles.
They shared their thoughts
and experiences as children growing up, as college
students, as citizens and as young parents.
We talked about this unprecedented demographic
moment in our history. Unprecedented because Kenyans
aged below 35 years constitute about 80 per cent of our
population. It is unprecedented because the median age in
Kenya is less than 20 years.
It is unprecedented because the future of this country
is not being determined by some extraterrestrial beings or
providence. The construction of the future is happening
before our own eyes, through the policies, investment,moral and ethical choices we make today.
These young people were clear about some
fundamentals in ways that horrify and inspire. In their
view, the pursuit of material success high grades, power
and money has sapped all the juice for goodness and
moral integrity from young people.
They also believe that
what many young men
like them have become is
what society has poured
into them.They believe
there is a debilitating
dearth of positive role
models in our society.
During the
conversation about
leadership at all
levels in society they
delivered a very powerful indictment; “fish rots from the
head”. The imagery is powerful and insightfully sobering.
They believe that this country has too many leaders,
ranging from academic, business, religious and civil
society to political, but woefully lacks leadership.
In their view failed leadership is at the heart of Kenya’s
predicament runaway corruption in both the public
and private sectors egged on by greedy citizens, lazy and
disengaged citizens unwilling to hold all of us to account,
faith leaders who have chosen to pass the other way,
unwilling to attend to a wounded and bleeding society.
My frustration is with the overabundance of clever
diagnosis data and anecdotes of our predicament but
limited capacity to mobilise for action and change.
We must escape from the purgatory of analysis paralysis.
Let’s do something, you and I.