I was watching these news items on tenderpreneurs in South Africa on Carte Blanche (First and Second) and it made me think about Kenyans and tenderpreneurs.
We live in a country where we laud tenderpreneurs. Why is that? Firstly, let us admit that Kenyans ridiculously love money, are greedy and are thieves. The level of corruption in and of itself proves this to be a fact.
The second reason is that Kenyans want to believe that even they, can one day become rich via overcharging government for services. And as long as they believe in this possibility – we will view tenderpreneurship as something to aspire to – even though it is theft of public resources.
Thirdly, we have made it seem as if God wants us to be obscenely wealthy by any means necessary despite the fact that the Bible is clear that God doesn’t approve of it. And so when tenderpreneurs steal and they’ll then say “it is God’s favour” they make it seem as if their money is legitimate – yet it is theft.
And on top of all these things, the other thing Kenyans love is the performance of wealth. That is why news articles will focus on the cars that people are driving, the watch the president is wearing etc without questioning the source of the money. In a country where someone’s worth is measured by acquisition of things, it’s no wonder we are dazzled by tenderpreneurs instead of calling them what they are – thieves.
And we allow it to happen. Because let us not forget that tendering to provide government with goods and services is paid for by citizen’s statutory payments. We are basically bankrolling them. Yet they walk around as if they should be heralded for business acumen, yet all they are, is thieves.
I wonder, if I was to check whether someone has a tender to plant trees on Thika Road, or even to paint lanes on Waiyaki Way – would i find someone who was paid to do work and hasn’t done anything?. So many things, even the simple, little things, that should be done don’t get done. A waste of such potential in this country.