This archive report was first published on 23 July 2019.
Published on July 23, 2019, a series of exposés in Kenya highlighted the country's deep-seated problems with corruption and hypocrisy.
Antony Irungu, a concerned citizen, spoke out against businesses that prioritize profits over people's health. He accused butcheries, supermarkets, and other outlets of lacing meat with deadly chemicals to deceive customers. Irungu also called for the government to prioritize people's health and conduct regular inspections.
University don X.N. Iraki echoed Irungu's sentiments, suggesting that the prevalence of strange diseases could be linked to the use of chemicals in meat preservation. Iraki also criticized the Health ministry and county departments of health for not doing their job, and suggested that they should pay the Nation for exposing their failures.
Another issue that came to light was the long holidays taken by universities and other institutions of higher learning. Kelvin Mutai argued that these holidays are a waste of valuable time for students, who often end up idling and getting into trouble. Mutai suggested that only students going on field attachment should take the long holidays.
Kenyan society was also criticized for its hypocrisy, particularly in the way it treats its leaders. Jane Mutharu lamented the fact that people are only valued when they are dead, citing the example of football legend Joe Kadenge, who was given a grand funeral despite struggling with illness for years.
Finally, the police force was accused of corruption and brutality, with Njuguna Mwaniki sharing a personal anecdote about his daughter's experience with the police. Mwaniki's daughter had answered a question on the role of police officers, stating that their job is to beat up and arrest people. The teacher failed her, but Mwaniki had to convince her that the police are actually there to maintain law and order.
