KSN Jasiri, The New Kenya Government Yatch

KSN Jasiri is to arrive at the Mombasa port amid a celebratory mood. President Kibaki will be there to christen the ‘warship’-the government has been touting it as such but in reality it’s just another patrol boat. Forgotten in the celebrations is the Anglo-leasing scandal and all matters of corruption behind the purchase of the ship.

The Jasiri ‘warship’ was purchased at the cost of shillings 4 billion, enough to eradicate starvation in many parts of Kenya. President Kibaki, Odinga and their comrades in Government cannot contain their excitement. They now have a yatch to transverse the waters of Indian Ocean and to hold lavish birthday parties and celebrations on national holidays. Of course no Mwananchi will know the private use of the ‘yatch’. As for the military officers, they will not say a thing, after all, their jobs are on the line and they will be invited anyway.

‘When will we have the welcoming party on the yatch?’ Hon. Amos Kimunya, the Minister of Transportation, was overheard asking Minister of State for defense Hon. Yusuf Haji at a recent function at the Hilton hotel.

‘Soon as it arrives’, chuckled Haji. ‘We can even invite some of those pretty Mombasa girls. No wives invited!’

In the meantime, the Kenya defense budget is rising. Kenya is spending more than twice what the Uganda and Tanzania spends for their military per military personnel (those figures were at a time when Kenya was at peace). Of course right now we are at war with Al Shabaab. Military spending has skyrocketed and the powers that be are getting richer. Military budgets are always secret, so it goes without saying that after the the military pulls out of the war, some people in the Government and defense will have gotten pretty rich off of dubious contracts pertaining to Military purchases.

‘But who cares.’ A Major general in the Army was overheard saying.’ Anglo-leasing came and went and people got off scot-free. I am near retirement, and there is big money at stake. I am going out rich. I have given the military half my life. I can as well reap something out of it.’

The General is reported to be orchestrating a multi-billion shillings contract to get armored troop carriers, of which he might make a good 100 million shillings. But that is just a drop in the bucket in the overall Military spending.