This archive report was first published on 31 July 2019.
Kenya's struggle against corruption has been hampered by a misguided approach that views graft as a policy or legal issue, rather than a moral one. This perspective is akin to treating laws as the end goal, rather than one of the means to achieve a better society.
As the Greek myth of Pygmalion illustrates, laws can be enacted, but they require a moral foundation to be effective. In Kenya's case, the country has some of the best laws and institutions in Africa, yet it remains one of the most corrupt nations in the world.
The Michuki rules, which were introduced to improve road discipline, provide a telling example of how rules can fail to achieve their intended purpose. The rules worked as long as the well-meaning minister, John Michuki, was in charge, but once he left, the rules were ignored, and chaos ensued.
President Kenyatta's anti-graft war must be transformed into a cultural revolution, a radical reorientation of the cultural system that inculcates core anti-corruption values in children, the youth, and adults. This requires a long-term commitment to changing the moral fabric of society, rather than relying solely on high-profile prosecutions.
As the French Revolution demonstrates, a cultural revolution can be a bloody and challenging process, but it is necessary to achieve lasting change. President Kenyatta and Raila Odinga can use the Building Bridges Initiative to start a political and cultural ideology that frowns on corruption, and embed the anti-graft campaign in a system of norms that guides individuals and society collectively.
