I agree with those who say Harambees should be regulated. It needs to be regulated for better management and safeguard from abuse by politicians.
There are so many funds that have been devolved. We have the equitable share that is going directly to counties.
We have the National Government Constituency Development Fund and now, we have the ward development, which in my case is unconstitutional.
These funds have gone to the wards, sub-counties and counties.
These monies are supposed to be oversighted by politicians who are mostly the chief guests in Harambees.
They are supposed to make sure that these funds are properly utilised. But when people become too philanthropic and want to be seen to be so kind, they attempt to use corrupt means to hoodwink and appeal to the poor people.
Harambee was good when we attained independence. It helped marginalised Kenyans who were sidelined by the whites.
Therefore, there was a need for Harambees to uplift the infrastructural development. But more than 60 years later, Harambee has outlived its usefulness. We have come of age through the many funds that the constitution has devolved. Yes, Harambee can still be used for a good cause.
For example, when one is stuck and needs money to clear hospital bills or pay school fees, Harambee will come in handy.
But Harambee must now be regulated so that it is not abused by greedy politicians, who want to use ill-gotten money to manipulate poor Kenyans. In the last days of the last regime, we had the then CS for Interior Fred Matiangi say that many people who were eyeing political seats were money launderers and wash-wash people.
And it is true, that some of our current leaders have been implicated in these dirty games of fake gold and many others.
Now, they are using the name Harambee to sanitise their money and hoodwink desperate Kenyans. Such should be regulated.
The law should be put in place to tame those keen to use Harambee to clean dirty money.
Executive director of the Kenya
National Civil Society Centre spoke
to the Star
