Kenya’s economy is under siege by cartels formed by political dynasties and business magnates, feasting on public funds and suffocating national development.
By: Midmark Onsongo
Worth Noting:
- Fast forward to 2002 when Mwai Kibaki ascended to power, promising to dismantle the culture of corruption. But what came of it? The Anglo Leasing scandal exploded onto the scene, exposing the rot that lay beneath the surface. Billions of shillings were siphoned off under the guise of securing national security contracts.
- Contracts that were never honored, yet the money disappeared as if by magic. Can you hear the whispers? Those responsible—shadowy figures within the Kibaki administration—were never truly brought to justice. Instead, they walked free, shielded by the very system meant to hold them accountable. It was a reminder that, in Kenya, corruption is not the exception—it is the rule.
Did you know that the Kenyan economy is not driven by free markets or innovation but by the cold, calculating grip of cartels? Imagine this: a country rich in resources, brimming with potential, yet constantly brought to its knees by the same dynasties—the Kenyattas, Mois, and Odingas—whose names, for decades, have echoed through the halls of power. These families do not merely hold political influence; they control the very economic arteries that keep Kenya alive, their hands stretched across the nation’s sugar, maize, and energy sectors, draining the lifeblood from the ordinary citizen. Are you ready to hear the truth? Are you ready to understand how corruption has not just harmed Kenya—it has owned it?
Since independence, Kenya has been the playground of a select few. Jomo Kenyatta, the founding father, is often remembered for his role in the struggle for liberation. But behind the legacy lies a dynasty that, to this day, continues to amass wealth and power, with the Kenyatta family’s business empire reaching far beyond the political realm. From banking to real estate, and notably, the monopolization of the dairy industry, the Kenyattas have grown their fortune, largely unchecked. Do you think the price of your packet of milk is high because of market forces? Think again. Brookside, owned by the Kenyatta family, controls over 40% of Kenya’s milk market, manipulating prices and stifling competition. And while you pay more for your daily essentials, the profits keep rolling in, unnoticed by the very people who should be regulating the industry. But why would they? After all, it’s their puppeteers pulling the strings.
Fast forward to 2002 when Mwai Kibaki ascended to power, promising to dismantle the culture of corruption. But what came of it? The Anglo Leasing scandal exploded onto the scene, exposing the rot that lay beneath the surface. Billions of shillings were siphoned off under the guise of securing national security contracts.
Contracts that were never honored, yet the money disappeared as if by magic. Can you hear the whispers? Those responsible—shadowy figures within the Kibaki administration—were never truly brought to justice. Instead, they walked free, shielded by the very system meant to hold them accountable. It was a reminder that, in Kenya, corruption is not the exception—it is the rule.
Have you ever wondered why Mumias Sugar, once the crown jewel of Kenya’s agricultural sector, collapsed so spectacularly? It was not mere mismanagement that brought the company to its knees. The truth is far more sinister. Cartels, linked to powerful political figures, flooded the market with imported sugar, deliberately undermining local production to reap massive profits.
Who stood to gain from this? It was no secret that the likes of William Ruto, whose political career has long been dogged by accusations of corruption, had vested interests in the importation business. The same Ruto, now President, who once stood trial at the International Criminal Court for his alleged role in post-election violence, has become the master of political survival. But do you think he has abandoned the corrupt networks that sustained him? Hardly. His fingerprints are all over the agricultural sector, a sector that should be feeding Kenya but instead feeds only a few fat cats.
And then there is Raila Odinga, the perennial opposition leader turned ally of the state, whose own political career has been marked by strategic alignments rather than steadfast principles. How many times has Odinga cried foul over election rigging, only to turn around and shake hands with the very people he accused? The infamous “handshake” with Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018 was nothing short of a deal brokered in the backrooms of power, a truce that secured peace for the ruling class while ordinary Kenyans continued to suffer. And while they dined together, the scandals kept rolling. The maize scandal of 2018, where billions of shillings were lost in dubious procurement deals, was just another chapter in the same old story.
Can you hear it? The steady hum of Kenya Power, the flicker of lights in your home. But behind that glow is darkness—an industry captured by cartels who inflate contracts, steal through tenders, and pass the cost down to you, the consumer. The very company tasked with lighting up the nation has been sucked dry by insiders who enrich themselves at your expense. Yet, no one dares to speak out. Why? Because the rot runs deep. The energy sector is controlled by a network of elites who ensure that, no matter how loud the outcry, nothing changes. KenGen, Kenya Power—these are not public companies serving the people. They are golden geese for the few who pull the strings. Corruption in Kenya is not just a stain on the country’s fabric—it is the fabric. From the moment you wake up to the time you go to bed, you are surrounded by its effects. Roads filled with potholes, hospitals without medicine, schools without books—it is all part of the same system. A system where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, where the laws are bent to protect the powerful, and justice is a distant dream.
Do you recall the KEMSA scandal? During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, billions of shillings were looted from the very agency meant to protect Kenyans. As people died in overcrowded hospitals, as doctors and nurses pleaded for protective equipment, the cartels feasted. Who was behind it? Murmurs point to powerful individuals within the Jubilee government, but the full truth remains buried under layers of bureaucracy and political cover-ups. It is a tragedy of epic proportions—yet another reminder that, in Kenya, even in the face of a crisis, greed trumps humanity.
But where does all of this leave us? Is there any hope of breaking free from the stranglehold of these corrupt networks? Some believe the answer lies in the judiciary, but even that institution has been compromised. Remember the Goldenberg scandal, where billions were lost in a scheme to inflate gold exports? Years of investigations, commissions of inquiry, and what was the outcome? A slap on the wrist for those involved. Justice, it seems, is a commodity in Kenya, sold to the highest bidder.
So here we are, in 2024, watching as the same players continue their dance of deceit. The Kenyattas, Mois, Odingas, Rutos—the names remain the same, their power undiminished. The cartels they control continue to thrive, suffocating any chance of real progress. You see the glittering towers of Nairobi, the new highways, the promises of development. But beneath that shine is a festering rot, a system designed to benefit the few at the expense of the many. And the saddest part? We’ve all become numb to it.
Are you angry yet? You should be. But anger alone is not enough. It is time to open our eyes to the truth, to demand better, to refuse to be pawns in a game where the rules are rigged. The cartels may think they are invincible, but history has shown that even the mightiest fall. Kenya’s future does not belong to the corrupt—it belongs to those brave enough to take it back.
So, will you sit quietly, or will you demand the change that is long overdue? The choice is yours. But remember, every time you turn a blind eye to corruption, every time you allow these cartels to tighten their grip, you are complicit in the destruction of Kenya’s future.
This article was scripted by;
MIDMARK ONSONGO, SGS
(Socio-Geographic Scholar)
