Every grown Kenyan will tell you how corruption derails development. Very few will offer concrete ideas on how it can be tamed.
While some will be rudderless, some naive and others talk more than they can act if at all, the measures being put in place are not only cosmetic but meant to massage the egos of those purporting to be fighting the scourge. We have become a nation where people want to be seen to be doing something good for the nation even if they are not making any attempt.
Today, the church, especially the mainstream ones like Catholic and Anglican, have come up with a raft of changes they want implemented to curb corruption and politicking in the pulpit. While changing from cash to electronic donations and recording of the gifts are a timeless measure aimed at arresting the temptations and leaving a trail of evidence for accountability, its noble objective is lost in the headline catching catcalls for ‘dealing politicians who donate in churches a blow’.
Who told us politicians love donating cash? There are some who have never done anything as little as buying malaria drugs for a patient next door. Some politicians have even hatched a plan to have Parliament cap what can be donated and make donations a matter of public rather than individual undertaking. Some will cling to the slightest implication of the law which makes donations illegal.
Donations, whether in church or for any other course, are by heart; not necessarily having more than enough. A stingy person will never donate despite having plenty, politician or not. So let’s highlight the good reasons for the shift rather than making it look like it’s targeted at certain people, donating is not political.
Economic and political analyst
