“Manifestation of Beggary” or The African Version of the American Super-PAC?
Kenyan political aspirants bombarded by outrageous demands
By Kenfrey Kiberenge
Voters are in the dock for making outrageous demands to political aspirants in exchange for their votes, a habit experts warn has entrenched corruption.
Aspirants have come out complaining how they are usually taken aback by requests often made through calls or Short Messages Service sent through their mobile phones. Members of Parliament have also not been let off the hook, as their constituents keep forwarding them ‘shopping lists’, which many feel should be handled personally by the requester.
The frequency of harambees during the campaign period also escalates with aspirants getting tens of invitations in what former Subukia MP Koigi Wamwere terms as “manifestation of beggary”.
This has left them in a catch-22 situation: bogged down but at the same time too afraid to decline or publicly condemn the trend for fear of being branded broke and therefore unelectable according to majority of Kenyan voters’ perception.
But to circumvent this, MPs cleverly passed the Elections Act 2011, which bars anybody aspiring for political office from partaking in a fundraiser eight months before the election.
The Act applies to all levels of office from presidency, governor, senator, MP, women representative and councillors.
In one instance, an MP from Nyanza was felled for giving Sh500 to each bereaved family within the constituency, which earned him the demeaning tag of “Mr Five Hundred”.
Wamwere says he has encountered “ill-advised and humiliating” demands from his constituents.
“At one point, a family was bereaved and they had mortgaged their title deed. I spoke to then Health Minister Charity Ngilu and the hospital bill was waived, but they went ahead and arranged a harambee and had the audacity to invite me. That was callous,” said Wamwere.
In another instance, a not-so-poor mother, whose son had benefitted from the Constituency Development Fund bursary, approached the former MP requesting money to hire a graduation gown. On average, the gown is hired out at a modest Sh3,000.
“Some things are so private and intimate you should do them personally. Like dowry, outside yourself, only your father can pay for you. I also had a case where a woman was begging for money as her husband just stood there. No matter how desperate a situation is, you should not watch your wife beg for money from another man,” he said.
An MP from Kiambu, who declined to be named for fear he may lose his seat for disparaging his constituents, says he was once phoned, with the caller telling him to meet them at the maternity.
“He told me ‘napeleka mama maternity sasa tukutane huko (I am taking my wife to the maternity, let’s meet there)’ and I was left wondering: You started the job, finish it!” charged the legislator.
An aspiring governor, who is a senior civil servant, also narrated how he had been inundated with calls and text messages from his county residents asking for outrageous favours.
“On a Saturday afternoon, I get an SMS like ‘I am at Makuti bar, please make my evening. Your voter’. That person expects me to send money for them to pay their beer bills,” he said.
Due to his current position, he has received impromptu visits by villagers who carry curriculum vitae and certificates expecting him to employ their relatives.
Hand-outs culture
“It’s crazy! You have to feed them for the entire duration they are here, accommodate them, and also pay for their fare back home, besides reimbursing what they had used,” said the aspirant.
Bumula MP Bifwoli Wakoli confesses he has had a funeral programme where he offered a vehicle, food and money to every bereaved family in his constituency.
“I stopped the programme in December because of the law that bars aspirants from contributing in harambees. But I still have a motorcycle and an employee who goes round the constituency taking condolences on my behalf. I am not complaining. If someone is bereaved and you have something it is good to help,” he said.
Experts are now warning that this behaviour has pervaded a hand-outs culture in the country, which has in turn encouraged corruption by some of the candidates who ascend to office. Koki Muli, an electoral expert, argues that the behaviour is responsible for the high levels of graft in State offices.
“Once they get into office, their first priority will be to recover the money they used. Nobody will give you money for free,” Dr Muli, who serves as director of South Eastern University College, said.
She said MPs are in a fix as the effect of declining to give out money will be rejection by the voters.
“But people should do like Martha Karua and tell people from the outset that you won’t give them money so they won’t ask for it,” she said.
But Wamwere says voters shun aspirants who refuse to part with hand-outs.
To reverse the situation, Koki says intensive voter and civic education needs to be conducted, adding the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and Justice Ministry should ensure this is done.
“IEBC should educate Kenyans that it is against the law to receive any money from an aspirant and the ministry must tell Kenyans what are the contents of the Constitution and from which Government agency they should expect services,” she said.
But Wamwere says both the aspirants and voters are to blame, although the latter is the ultimate loser.
“It is sad because everything in Kenya has been commoditised, including leadership. So the elective position go to the highest bidder,” said the former Subukia MP. Wamwere also blames the media “corroborating the voters’ expectations” by analysing an aspirant’s wealth as part of the strengths.
But Wakoli says the only way MPs can stamp out the hand-out culture is by availing themselves to their constituents on a regular basis.
“If the only time they see you is during the campaigns then they will definitely demand money. Like now am walking on foot at my local market and nobody is asking for any money because since Parliament went on recess I have been here,” said the legislator via phone.
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