Corruption watchdog cleans up image with high profile asset recoveries

According to TI, Kenya has improved from the most corrupt last year, overtaking Burundi and Uganda. Rwanda is the least corrupt.

Analysts are concerned about this. “As long as Government transactions continue to be done in secret, all these efforts might be elusive although they can potentially eradicate corruption,” said Karugor Gatamah, the chief executive officer at Africa Corporate Governance Advisory Services.

“The only thing that will end corruption in public offices is transparency, disclosure and a clear financial reporting system coupled with strict penalties on unscrupulous officers,” he said, adding that without clear checks and transparent systems, even credible witnesses and could be compromised by a web of corrupt officers in government offices.

In the broader war against white-collar crime in government, heated debates are now emerging over the direction Kenya should take in the administration of justice especially for those who tolerate or foster corruption.

It is a big, multi-billion shilling debate that the public feels strongly about and has been isolated from taking part in.

It has also prompted important questions as to where Kenya went wrong and what can be rectified.

Part of the public perception problems have stemmed from a lack of quick wins in the prosecution of politicians in the early days of KACC.

Now, anti-corruption activists and business leaders are cautioning that runaway corruption could further hurt the already fragile business environment at a time when the economy is struggling to recover.

Some argue the drive for quick profits by the private sector has also given birth to mega-corruption scandals in the government as some unscrupulous business people induce contract awards by influencing civil servants.

Good governance

Economist David Ndii, believes Kenya’s growth prospects are hinged on good governance.

“We have under invested in promoting governance and this has turned out to be very costly. The resources we have invested across the board have been lost through bad governance, ” said Dr Ndii.

Two months ago, Prime Minister Raila Odinga ordered that the fight against graft be included as one of the benchmarks in measuring the performance of Ministries, Public Corporations and government departments under the annual performance contracting evaluations.

In yet another salvo aimed at eliminating corruption , Attorney-General Amos Wako has unveiled stringent rules to seal loopholes in contract negotiations involving all government bodies.

The State law office says it is now seconding State counsels to all ministries and State corporations to oversee contract negotiations, an exercise cited by analysts as the main source of corruption in public offices.