Suspects are once again sneaking into public offices and vetting agencies won't stop them: they are presumed innocent until proved guilty.
Courts of law haven't declared them guilty, even though they have cases to answer. But in the court of public opinion, they suffer huge integrity deficits. Suspected murderers, felons, rapists, robbers, economic saboteurs, money launderers, embezzlers of public funds, fraudsters, land grabbers, and merchandizers of hate are running for elective offices.
Are you ready to reject them at the ballot? It's your civic duty, as a citizen and if you don't do it on August 9, don't complain of corruption this time next year. The race is crowded with suspects, from the presidency to county assemblies. Some aspirants have active cases in court. Some have served appeals after lower courts convicted them.
The suspects are running, they say, because they have not exhausted their appeals. They are exploiting a constitutional anomaly. They are pleading 'innocent' until they are proved guilty.
Chapter Six of the Constitution on Leadership and Integrity sets character threshold for aspirants. But the suspects don't care. They are relying on defence lawyers to manipulate the justice system.
Impeached governors are preying on new victims. Carpetbaggers are targeting fresh hunting grounds in impoverished counties. They have unleashed proceeds of impunity to compromise gullible voters. Some aspirants are exploiting bungled party primaries to endear themselves to new victims. They have the money and sharp tongues to con. The poor suffer ravages of corruption, in what looks like terminal vulnerability to the tempest. The vulnerable tempestuously love generous suspects: They share proceeds of impunity.
The suspects pilfer our grains at night, and then sell to us at half the market price. The red-carded suspects have the opportunity, the motive, and the means to plunder.
Citizens are being called upon to cheer suspects into another season of plunder. Jobless youth are rallying around generous suspects. Excited women are cheering. Wazee are queuing for handouts from their tormentors.
The young, the old, women, and men — from different generations some from the same families — are lining up for the bait. Students who should be voting for the first time are indifferent. They are oblivious of the weapon they hold - the ballot.
Civil society consortium, National Integrity Alliance, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, and other integrity gatekeepers warn of the risk of electing suspects. The Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission, under the leadership of Wafula Chebukati, won't bar them. The duty rests with you, the voter.
National Integrity Alliance launched the RedCardCampaign in 2017 to stop suspects from running for elective offices. The alliance, whose membership includes Transparency International, is playing the public watchdog for integrity.
The alliance named 25 certified suspects, who should not be cleared to run for the August 9 General Election. It also named 20 suspects, who were not supposed to vie during the 2017 General Election.
EACC has also tagged 241 suspects and some of the untouchables are in both lists. The EACC list has two suspects running for president, one seeking clearance for running mate, 61 for governor, six for the Senate, 19 for Woman Rep, 58 for MP, and 94 for county assembly.
Some of the 20 red-carded suspects were elected in 2017, two were impeached two years after election. Some are in court, facing new corruption and criminal charges. Some are subjects of ongoing criminal investigations. Those who were declared unfit to hold public office in 2017 are the defending champions of impunity in the RedCard2022. Conscious citizens should stop these suspects at the ballot, even if IEBC and the courts have given them through passes.
