Ciaran’s Peculier [sic] Blog

Tanzania, to Kenya’s south, is presently engulfed in a corruption scandal that has already cost prime Minister Edward Lowossa his job. At the centre of the fuss is an award made to an American utilites company, Richmond Development, of a contract to supply power during periods when the national grid was unable to provide enough due to low water levels. In spite of receiving large amounts of money the company failed to supply the power, but was nevertheless awarded another contract because of the backing of the Prime Minister’s office and in the teeth of the opposition of the operators of the national grid, who pointed to Richmond’s past failures.

 It is alleged that large amounts of money changed hands in order to secure the contracts for Richmond.

Richmond Development is an American-based organisation. It is no doubt headed by neo-conservative types who preacb a mantra of “Trade not Aid” as the solution to Africa’s problems.

It is dreadful to see the results of greed amongst those in positions of power. The lust of President Mwai Kibaki and a corrupt clique surrounding him to hang on to power and enjoy its trappings has led to the ruin of his country and the impoverishment of his people. Does he care? Having said this, I am not claiming that his opponent, Raila Odinga, is cut from finer cloth. When Kibaki won the last presidential election he was seen as a standard-bearer of freedom and democracy, but five years in power enjoying the privileges of government have corrupted him, as they might well do Odinga. Kibaki was the person who had put it up to the old KANU kleptocracy, yet the writing was on the wall as far as Kibaki’s more relaxed attitude to graft when he accepted the support of KANU for his re-election bid.

Kibaki has joined the club of corrupt African leaders prepared to do anything and anyone to stay in power. The galling thing is that one of the privileges of power in Africa, even in those countries that play a democratic game, is that not even the mildest criticism by the press is tolerated. In most African countries such public criticism is a criminal offence, punishable by hefty fines and terms of imprisonment. Those journals that are courageous enough to speak out are only repeating what the dogs in the street know about their leaders.

Such intolerance comes of course from insecurity. In that respect Africa’s leaders resemble Ireland’s, who, at both national and local level are a group of corrupt and incompetent thieves who wouldn’t recognise justice if it jumped up and bit them on the nose but who keep a well-bred pack of legal hounds ready to unleash upon anyone who gets to near the truth.

Today, February 1st, is the feast day of St Bridget or Brigid. A special presentation of an icon of St Bridget, by Corlough-based and Athens-born artist Maria Gkinala, is to be made to Cardinal Sean Brady in Stradone’s community centre tonight at 10.30 pm.

This icon, like all Maria’s work in this genre, is transcendentally beautiful. She is able to capture all of the centuries of tradition of Orthodox iconography. There is a balance and contrast between dark and light. It is more than a painting. When I saw it I was moved to prayer, not spoken or verbal prayer, but prayer of the mind.