http://www.pambazuka.org/images/authors/Lynne_Muthoni_Wanyeki.jpgA survey by the African Centre for Open Governance finds that corruption is the number one issue in the forthcoming Kenyan elections.

The people have spoken. And, unsurprisingly, what they have said is diametrically opposed to what their leaders have been saying on their behalf.

What am I talking about? Last week, the African Centre for Open Governance launched a survey it had commissioned from the opinion polling company, Infotrak, into citizens’ views about corruption, the electoral process and transitional justice.

The findings? For no less than 89 per cent of those with voters’ cards polled across the country, corruption was the foremost electoral issue. Disaggregated by age, no less than 94 per cent of 18-24 year olds — the largest voting bloc — ranked corruption as their priority concern. And even a majority of those above 55 — 56 per cent — did the same.

Disillusionment with efforts of what remains of the National Rainbow Coalition was high, with no less than 70 per cent saying they did not feel the government of President Mwai Kibaki had done enough to address corruption. Granted, awareness of the details of those efforts was low. Only 13 per cent, for instance, were aware of the National Anti-Corruption Committee headed by Mutava Musyimi. This, of course, is somewhat ironic, given that the NACC is tasked with creating public awareness about corruption. But low levels of awareness aside, citizens were quite clear about why they gave Kibaki’s government a failing grade — pointing to the fact that the highest office holders accused of corruption have either remained in office or been re-appointed to the same. No less than 92 per cent said that they want an end to ‘sacred cows’— only eight per cent said that they were concerned about the conflict that going after the ‘sacred cows’ might create.

Citizens, then, gave their thoughts on past and present “grand corruption” — listing the cases of Goldenberg, the Kroll report, the “Artur brothers,” Anglo-Leasing and sugar imports. They were unhesitant about what they want done. No less than 81 per cent want those implicated and found guilty to be jailed, with 72 per cent demanding that they be forever barred from holding public office again. And no less than 77 per cent want any properties acquired with the proceeds of corruption confiscated. They were equally clear about what they want done with recovered funds and property — invested back into public services. Only a paltry five per cent said they would be satisfied with apologies.

What this shows, as Gladwell Otieno, head of AfriCOG, pointed out during the survey’s launch, is that all presidential candidates and other aspirants should know that there exists among Kenyans “a bedrock of support for firm action” on past and present grand corruption. What the survey’s findings should tell all three is that wishy-washiness — and a flat-out refusal — to act on past and present grand corruption will be their downfall. Especially because the findings of the survey held even when disaggregated to confirm that voters already committed to a certain presidential candidate felt the same way.

As for the electoral process in general, citizens were equally clear — no less than 93 per cent of citizens polled said they would not vote for a candidate alleged or known to be corrupt. And, even though only 51 per cent said they would not accept campaign bribes — named by them as including money, food and drink, clothes and, interestingly, jobs and title deeds — 80 per cent of the same said doing so would have no influence at all on their voting. As Maina Kiai, head of the Kenya National Human Rights Commission said during the launch, this finding confirms that “bribes do not work.” And as Mwalimu Mati, head of the Media Analysis and Research Group, added, the survey’s findings are no less than a ‘wake up call’ for all aspirants who have been warning us that the ‘skies will fall’ should past and present grand corruption be dealt with. We want our money back.

This article originally appeared in the East African Standard on November 5th.

*L. Muthoni Wanyeki is the Executive Director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC)

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