Of Open-plan offices and Opaque-value systems

As I stood in line to be served by a City Council officer today, a Kenyan of Asian origin, accompanied by an ‘indigenous’ Kenyan were there too, exploring the possibility of evicting guys who’ve encroached on the former's land. The discussion was moving along just fine until its concluding moments. The officer on duty confidently concluded that the matter could be resolved within hours. However, there was a little ‘dietary matter’ that needed to be handled. He unashamedly, and in my full hearing, served this declaration: "Council officers don’t eat pumpkins, they eat meat". The land owner, in a very matter-of-factly tone of voice, only asked for the numbers. Did I look like I was hard of hearing or slow of understanding that I could not figure out the ensnaring web of corruption that was unfolding right before my eyes? Have we become so shameless and corruption so common-place that it does not matter who hears or knows? Have we eaten all our shame, and have not a shred of shame left? Who will rescue us from this self-devouring menace? Corruption has gone carnivorous (and possibly rabid)! It's acquired a taste for meat and blood. Will anyone survive unscathed by this cannibalistic onslaught we have unleashed upon our greedy selves?