Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi has ignited fresh debate on corruption in Kenya after asserting that the persistent theft of public funds by some politicians, judges, and civil servants is not driven by poverty or greed, but by what he described as a compulsive mental condition.
In a statement shared on social commentary platforms, Ahmednasir argued that individuals engaged in large-scale corruption suffer from what he termed a “stealing disorder” that compels them to accumulate wealth beyond their needs, regardless of their financial status or social background.
He compared the alleged behaviour of corrupt officials to recognised psychological conditions, suggesting that it should be treated within a medical framework rather than purely through legal enforcement or economic explanations.
“The corrupt politician, judge or civil servant in Kenya who endlessly steals from the public coffers and accumulates wealth beyond their need don’t do so because of greed, poverty, high cost of living or personal needs,” he said.
He added: “They steal because of a mental condition that induces them to steal, forces them to keep stealing and accumulate wealth beyond their needs.”
Ahmednasir further likened the behaviour to disorders such as psychopathy and bipolar conditions, arguing that unchecked corruption should be understood as a form of mental illness that requires diagnosis and treatment rather than only punishment through the justice system.
According to him, the response to corruption should also include therapeutic intervention and clinical evaluation for those in public office found engaging in bribery or embezzlement.
“For public officers who are Muslims an intensive ‘Quran saar’ sessions will cure them. For other Kenyans, we need to provide therapy and clinical tests to help them stop stealing even when they really don’t need the money,” he said.
He concluded by suggesting that society should reinterpret corruption cases through a medical lens, arguing that some individuals may be acting under an undiagnosed psychological condition rather than rational economic motivation.
“Next time you see a high ranking politician, judge or civil servant taking a bribe, please know that he or she is labouring under a mental condition that hasn’t been correctly diagnosed,” he added.