A Yes to Liberty is a No to Corruption

Author's note: this is not a story to take to the bank; nor is it a narration from my crystal ball.


Researchers both local and international will tell you that the Kenya Police and specifically the traffic department is the most corrupt institution in Kenya. In fact, whenever a report on the subject is released, the position to look out for is the silver medalist because the risible gold medal is rightly so reserved for our men in blue, or is it white? (pun intended). But we ought not be the first to condemn them. We should actually condemn ourselves for sugar-coating and sacrosanct-ing the trade. Now, before you google the meaning of 'sacrosanct', may I remind you that I've been spending lotsa time reading. And what better way to prove this than to inculcate vocables that you've probably never heard of in my pieces. I digress!
A simple chit chat with a matatu crew will confirm this reality; that we have been in support of corruption - albeit unknowingly - all along. Of great concern is the fact that we've been mendacious in combating this vice, ostensibly heralding ourselves as saints. But are we not the same ones who give the bribes to the officers when on the wrong? Are we not the ones who propose to offer the bribes. And have we not made the phrase, 'mkubwa nitoe ngapi?' an accepted tool of trade? A conductor tells me he parts with approximately four hundred shillings on a one way trip from Murang'a to Nairobi. I actually helped him count so the statistics cannot be further from the truth. Supposing the conductor makes six such trips in a day, how many trips are those in a week? And how much money does he have to part with? I'll let you do the maths.
I am told it is worse in Nairobi town. It's not once that I've seen a traffic officer call out one conductor who then goes to collect fifty shillings from each matatu queuing on a specific terminus, say the Kinoo-Kikuyu route for instance. Many attempts have been suggested to curb the vice but they have proved to be futile. Some have been implemented but the vice seems to me like it always evolves to reduce any chance of it ever being extincted. Now, that we are at this point, do we even have a viable solution or should we sit back, accept that corruption is here to stay, and move on? I say NO! No to this pernicious anathema.
We all know and accept that corruption is deeply pervaded within our social system and defended by blind apparatchiks living amongst us. But when we want to solve this two groups of people sprout out. There are those who say it is not possible to rid ourselves off this diabolical plunder against our morals. They detest any attempt to act otherwise, because they have accepted it as the order of the day. To them I say 'step aside and watch as we act.' There is a second group of people who believe that together we can defeat this monster. It is this group that am interested in. the group that will bring change to this country and continent eventually. You can only be in one of the two groups at any time.
It would be utter balderdash if I eschewed at this point without proposing a solution. This I will succinctly give by suggesting that we embrace liberty. Let everyone be free to do whatsoever he/she deems fit as long as his/her actions do not infringe on the rights of other citizens. What I mean is citizens should be give the opportunity of choosing what is right for themselves. Of what business would it concern the government if I choose to travel in an 'unroadworthy' vehicle? Whose right do I infringe on by bringing my vehicle on the road as an option for people -customers - to travel by? Why does the government feel that it should 'regulate' this industry? I'd have suggested that the matatu saccos conduct the regulation but then that would be transferring corruption from the traffic police to the sacco legislators. I believe that we should do away with PSV inspections. We had it the other day and we saw what happened. Corruption was on the rise. If a vehicle is 'unroadworthy', let the people judge for themselves and not travel by it.  Why do I say this? I say this because if the industry is not regulated, then there will be no avenues for corruption. Drivers will be free to operate matatus with no fear of harassment from the police officers and therefore no bribes will be given either. the role of the officers should be to protect the individual, his/her liberty and property. The role should not extend to provision of liberty and property. No!
In the same manner, the government should make it mandatory for matatus to have seat-belts but let no passenger be forced or coerced to fasten the safety belt. I see no sense in forcing me to do something that I can well chose whether to or not to. What makes the government think that it is in a better position to think better for the citizens than the citizens themselves? Is the government not made of persons from the same populace with the same brain capacity? I say the role of the government should be to do those things that I cannot do for myself, otherwise there would be no sense of having a government. By eliminating this regulations, then I will not have to bribe the police officers for 'offenses' committed. I say Yes to Liberty and No to Corruption.