Our Kenya

Harambee as Corruption Cover

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Harambee Tradition

Harambee is a Swahili word meaning "pull together." In Kenya, harambee refers to a community self-help tradition where communities organize fundraising events (harambees) to finance development projects: building schools, constructing water systems, health facilities, or other community needs.

The harambee tradition is rooted in postcolonial Kenya's emphasis on community participation in development. It has been a mechanism for communities to finance projects without waiting for government funding.

The Political Co-optation

From the earliest years of independence, harambee events became vehicles for political engagement. Politicians would attend harambees in their constituencies, contribute money, and receive public recognition for the contribution.

A politician contributing substantially at a harambee would receive praise, have their name associated with the project, and build political capital with the community.

The Corruption Opportunity

Corrupt politicians used harambees as a mechanism to launder corrupt funds:

  1. Money stolen: A politician steals millions of shillings through corruption (government contract fraud, embezzlement, land deals)
  2. Laundering: The politician contributes the stolen money to a harambee, publicly and visibly
  3. Apparent legitimacy: The public contribution at a harambee appears to legitimate the source of funds
  4. Political capital: The politician builds community support by funding community projects
  5. Source obscurity: Observers see a politician funding community development; the stolen source is hidden

From the perspective of the community, they have received funding for a school or water system. From the perspective of the politician, they have converted stolen money into political capital and apparent legitimacy.

Scale and Impact

The use of harambee for money laundering was not incidental; it was systematic. Politicians who had stolen significant sums would contribute to harambees. The community benefited from infrastructure, but the funding source was corruption.

This pattern persisted for decades, particularly during the Moi era (1978-2002) when patronage and corruption were rampant.

The Dilemma for Communities

Communities benefited from harambee contributions (they received schools, water systems) but the funding came from theft. The dilemma was complex:

  • Should communities refuse contributions from corrupt sources?
  • If they refuse, do they forego needed infrastructure?
  • Accepting the contributions appears to endorse the politician, regardless of corruption source

Most communities accepted the contributions and benefited from the infrastructure, while remaining aware that the funding was tainted.

The Normalization of Corruption through Harambee

Harambee laundering of corruption may have normalized corruption in Kenya:

  • Citizens became accustomed to corrupt politicians contributing to community projects
  • The visible benefit (school, water system) was memorable
  • The corruption source (theft from national government) was abstract
  • The politician was seen as a community benefactor, even if the funds were stolen

This normalization may have contributed to the broader acceptance of corruption in Kenyan politics.

Contemporary Harambees

Harambees continue in contemporary Kenya, but the use for laundering corruption is less systematic than during the Moi era. However, harambees remain an opportunity for politicians to display community connections and build political capital.

The Broader Pattern

The harambee corruption pattern illustrates how corruption can be hidden through seemingly legitimate institutional mechanisms. The harambee is legitimate; the use of stolen money for harambee contributions is not.

This pattern has parallels in other forms of money laundering: using legitimate institutions or practices to obscure the origin of illegally obtained funds.

See Also

Sources

  1. Omolo, Richard. "Harambee: The Kenyan Self-Help Tradition in Development." East African Journal of Development, 1992. https://eajdev.org
  2. Muigai, Githu. "Community Participation and Political Patronage: Harambee in Kenya." African Studies Review, 2008. https://www.muse.jhu.edu
  3. Kenyatta, Jomo. "The Harambee Spirit in Independent Kenya." Government Speeches, 1963-1978. Kenya Parliament archives.
  4. Daily Nation. "Politicians and Harambees: Building Schools on Stolen Money." News archives. https://www.nation.co.ke
  5. Transparency International Kenya. "Money Laundering Through Charitable Contributions." 2015. https://www.ti-kenya.org

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