Opinion: O ye of little faith…

“First Lady Mama Rachel Ruto has said her team will be going across the country for prayers. Rachel said the mission dubbed Faith Diplomacy, will ensure every corner of the country experiences the prayers” (The Star Kenya, 05.03.2023).

I don’t know about you, but the First Lady Rachel Ruto is getting a prominent role. There is reports that she is getting a team of 100 people working on the clock for her “Faith Diplomacy”. We don’t know what that is, but we know she plans to schedule prayers across the nation and such.

The First Lady is going all spiritual and we know the Kenya Kwanza Alliance (KKA) used the churches and their connection to the religion to gain voters. That was a choice and the Deputy President knew the audience he was catering too.

When she decides to this… she should study the scripture herself.

I feel the letter of James has a vital point, which has to be brought home:

“14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” – James 2.14-17, New International Version (NIV).

Especially, since she is bringing to the table a new definition and a new for of diplomacy. It is fine to pray, “thoughts and prayers” has a place. Nevertheless, it is worthless without actions. Faith is dead without actions. That is not my words, but the scripture itself.

This is why Rachel Ruto shouldn’t only launch prayers and have a team to promote faith. The “Prayers” are directly worthless if there is no actions to back it up. If she wants to be portrayed as holier than thou. It works for her image and publicity, but not following scripture herself. That is really ironic when she is launching a faith based entity.

Diplomacy is usually about dialogue and settlement. It is about two parties finding measures and resolves grievances. It is either between nations, groups or political parties who will work towards one common goal or agreement, which will be negotiated and create framework between them. Therefore, I don’t know how faith coincides with this, but surely it has been used in the past. Though not promoted in the manner of which the First Lady does.

The First Lady should explain it and tell how it operates. Because, “faith” + “diplomacy” is very vague terms in some sense. It can mean so much and so little at the same time. She can nearly do whatever she wants. It can easily become a grift… and used a means to an end. That’s up to her and she can be a pastorpreneur in the State House.

Time will tell what she really will do, but the “faith diplomacy” itself seems like a weird proposition. Since it is made up and I don’t know what it is supposed to achieve even. It isn’t anything wrong in particular in prayers. Neither is there anything wrong in having faith. However, faith is dead without action… and the First Lady needs to know this.

Faith Diplomacy based on prayers alone isn’t even following the scriptures itself. She is doing the prayers, but not doing any action. There is no diplomacy or diplomatic mission in itself. Unless, she feels the activity of prayers is keeping herself busy. That is really sad and tragic misuse of state funds, but not a shocking wastage of it. Just misusing funds for holy moments, instead of serving the communities and government services. That is inaction and not serving the citizens.

In Matthew this is said:

“17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax[a] to Caesar or not?”

18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”” (Matthew 22, 17-21, New International Version).

Why I am ending with this?

Because of a vital point. Jesus is telling that you should separate what is the “world” and what is “god’s” which is seemingly very transparent here. While the First Lady is mixing these two worlds. Both the spiritual in connection to god and the ones involving Caesar’s. She should be careful doing so, as she is eating of the “imperial tax” and not serving the Lord directly. The First Lady is married to a “Caesar” of our time, as his the former Deputy President and now President.

She should act and not only pray. Secondly, be worried about the mix-up of the church and “Caesar” in the State House. The First Lady is mixing them together and I wonder if she can mend them together. However, if she does… she didn’t understand the story of the “imperial tax” and also forgot that faith is pointless without actions.

The First Lady can pray… no one will stop her from doing. No one should stop her from doing so. Nevertheless, I wonder what she will do and if she will “give back to Caesar’s what is Caesar’s”. Time will tell… Peace.

Kenya: the rain-drops from the Corrupt Officials turns into a River of Corruption Cases; showing some recent cases of 2016!

“Corruption cannot be tackled from the top, it has to be confronted from the grassroots” – John Githongo.

Kenyan Government might not like it or trying to deflect it, but here certainly a sorry state when it comes to corruption, graft and embezzlement. If it is either getting a better business deal, paying local council-men for having a shop or being a hawker, paying police officers while passing through a district, getting help by government officials and other buying services from officials like judges and Land-Commissions to get ahead of competitions.

This here is a national problem, but many of the Government Officials and Ministers are involved so the Jubliee Government do not want to be too strong against it; if it is then one of their own have to jump on the sword and lose their job. I think they have learned from Mwai Kibaki’s government and how the Corruption made them eat and let the ethical procedures fly out the window.

I will here show the cases that have come since Januar 2016. And this is not all I presume, this is reports and probes of corruption and grafts in Kenya. There are lots of them and the amount of people says how big the picture is and how big the scope of corruption is; there have to be a general cleaning, but then the Government Officials and the codes of conduct have to be taken from streets to the Parliament. But when Kanjo Kingdom documentaries shows how the certain county cars drives around and pocket money from traders an hawkers in Nairobi as they have target funds to get each week. This proves the levels and stages of corruption. There are viable and visible, and as long as county officials in the capital can get away with having open corruption and trading tax that is not deducted through their financial statement. Then it proves that the re-vamp have to happen from the Grassroot as Hon. Githongo says and I abide by, but the precedence have to be set by the Deputy President Ruto and the President Kenyatta!

Here are the cases and probes.  

State House Kenya

200 State Officials needed clearance:

“Close to 200 people on the List of Shame President Uhuru Kenyatta handed to Parliament last year have been charged with corruption and abuse of office” (…)”A confidential report by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) shows all cases have been investigated and action taken on at least 61 per cent of them” (…)”The status report says some suspects have been taken to court while others have had their cases referred back to EACC for further investigations” (Gicobi, 2016).

Deputy President William Ruto and his Wife; Rachel Ruto dined VISA to the US:

“The first lady who was to be accompanied with the DP’s wife Rachel Ruto traveled alone due to her (Rachel) being denied a Visa by the USA embassy” (…)”According to reliable source, Rachel was denied Visa following allegations that her banking initiative had extorted donor funds” (…)”Recently, it was revealed that Deputy President was banned from traveling to the United States, however,  it looks like his whole family was too after his wife Rachel became the first to be denied a Visa” (…)”Ruto’s involvement in almost all corruption cases might also be the reason why Rachel was denied a US Visa” (Bironga, 2016).

Tunoi Probe:

“Supreme Court Judge Phllip Tunoi sought to discredit his accuser in the Sh 200 million bribery saga as he fought off allegations that could bring down his career and those of several colleagues.  Appearing before a committee probing the allegations Tunoi said an affidavit implicating him was possibly drawn by judiciary staff in an elaborate plot to end his career. As Francis Gachuri now reports Tunoi’s accuser Geoffrey Kiplagat also appeared before the committee that has until Wednesday to submit its findings” (Kenya Citizen TV, 2016).

Nike Probe:

“Under its terms, the athletics company would pay the Kenyan athletics federation $100,000 in honorariums each year and a one-time payment of $500,000, which was referred to as a “commitment bonus.” The New York Times reports that the bonus was immediately withdrawn by Kenyan officials and kept off the books” (…)”Nike conducts its business with integrity and expects that our partners do the same,” Nike told Fortune in a statement (Addady, 2016).

Bank’s Probe:

“Several banks are under investigations after a major tax evasion ring was busted at a border entry point. The racket, said to cost the government over Sh120 million in unpaid import duties at Namanga border post, comes barely a month after a similar incident was discovered at the Port of Mombasa” (…)”Two Equity Bank staff members and an unnamed number of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) personnel allegedly aided traders at the Namanga border post to import goods without paying duty, depriving the country revenue of more than Sh100 million” (…)”Nairobi-based financial analyst Aly Khan Satchu said the recent edict from the Central Bank where customers will need to clearly explain cash deposits and withdrawals of at least Sh1 million is welcomed. He said if the rules are enforced to the letter, corruption cartels would be dealt a blow” (…)“It’s clear that banks have a duty of care in this regard. If this new regulation is implemented without fear or favour then I am sure the deluge of ill-gotten proceeds going through the system will come to an abrupt stop. It seems to me it is no longer a question of rules and regulations, it is now a question of enforcement, pure and simple,” said Mr Satchu” (Ngungi, 2016).

King of Graft – Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba:

“A former Nairobi County chief finance officer amassed Sh800 million in cash, motor vehicles, buildings and land, which the government is now seeking to recover” (…)”Mr Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba’s wealth is half of the Sh1.6 billion that President Uhuru Kenyatta announced in his State of the Nation address that the government intends to seize” (Mwakilishi, 2016).

State of Jersey Confiscate Money:

“On 24 February 2016, Windward Trading Limited, a Jersey registered company, pleaded guilty to four counts of money laundering before the Royal Court of Jersey.  The Royal Court imposed a confiscation order of £3,281,897.40 and US$540,330.69, thereby stripping the company of all its assets” (…)”Windward admitted to laundering the proceeds of corruption between 29 July 1999 and 19 October 2001. The corrupt activities took place in Kenya where Windward’s beneficial owner, Samuel Gichuru, is resident. During the period on the indictment, Mr Gichuru was also the Chief Executive of Kenya Power and Lighting Company [KPLC], the Kenyan government’s electricity utility company. KPLC awarded valuable contracts to a number of engineering and energy companies worldwide who all made corrupt payments to Windward. The confiscation order provides an indication as to the scale of the criminal conduct that took place” (State of Jersey, 2016).

Afterthought:

This here shows the scope and reach of it. I don’t need to spell it out. It is clear as water. The rain-drops is becoming so much that they are creating a river in the valley; the same is happening with the corruption. There little rain-drops, but they all create a river and the water touches all parts of society. Time to put the kettle on and heat-up some water, because with all this eaten government funds and shady deals we need some sweet tea; Peace.

Reference:

Addady, Michael – ‘Nike Is at the Center of a Kenyan Corruption Probe’ (16.03.2016) link: http://fortune.com/2016/03/06/nike-kenya-corruption/

Bironga, Huldah – ‘CORRUPTION AT ITS PEAK; Ruto’s wife denied VISA by the USA for corruption linked allegation’ (24.03.2016) link: http://waza.co.ke/corruption-at-its-peak-rutos-wife-denied-visa-by-the-usa-for-corruption-linked-allegation/

Gicobi, Maryanne – ‘Kenya: 200 On Uhuru List Charged With Graft’ (15.02.2016) link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201602150294.html

Mwakilishi – ‘King of Graft Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba to Lose Sh800 Million Loot’ (01.04.2016) link: http://www.mwakilishi.com/content/articles/2016/04/01/king-of-graft-jimmy-mutuku-kiamba-to-lose-sh800-million-loot.html

Ngungi, Brian – ‘Kenya: Banks Under Probe Over Link to ‘Dirty Money’’ (28.03.2016) link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201603310135.html

State of Jersey (U.S.A.) – ‘Jersey confiscates £3.6 million proceeds of corruption’ (25.02.2016) link: http://www.gov.je/News/2016/Pages/Jersey-Confiscates-Proceeds-of-Corruption.aspx