Kenyas parliament on Wednesday voted to appoint a judge as the first head of the countrys anti-corruption commission, a measure demanded by international donors who accuse the government of doing little to fight graft, reports the World Bank press review Thursday.
Ruling party MPs voted for Justice Aaron Ringera to be the first director of the Kenyan Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC), empowered to prosecute those suspected of corruption. But opposition parliamentarians and some from within the ruling coalition questioned Ringeras integrity.
– I feel frustrated that the government has put somebody who is a friend to senior government officials in that position, said MP Otieno Kajwang.
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has been criticized by donor nations for tolerating alleged corruption, and progress in carrying out his pledge to clamp down on graft has been slow due to the delay in appointing a head of the commission.
The European Union postponed a decision on an aid package Kenya needs for its budget last month, citing corruption concerns. Britain says top officials are lining their pockets faster than under Kibakis predecessor, Daniel arap Moi.
Ringeras appointment is still subject to presidential approval. Ringera, currently a court of appeal judge, was the author of a report on corruption in the judiciary that led to the suspension of 23 high court judges in October 2003.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a member of the ruling Narc coalition, voted against the government motion. According to the BBCs correspondent in Nairobi, LDP MPs say ethnic politics influenced Justice Ringeras appointment and this may hinder his fight against corruption within government.
The news comes as the World Bank and the Japanese government have renewed calls for speedy investigations into the corruption allegations which have dogged the Kenyan government in the past few weeks.
World Bank Country Director for Kenya, Makhtar Diop, and the Japanese ambassador to Kenya, Makoto Asami, said Wednesday in separate statements that recent corruption allegations involving the Anglo Leasing Finance Company were worrying to the donor community.
– We are extremely concerned over corruption allegations in general and these are the reasons why the World Banks activities in the country have been low key in the past, Diop said.
Diop said the Bretton Woods institution, which is one of the global agencies leading in the anti-corruption fight, was extremely concerned about the mounting allegations of corruption in Kenya.
He said there was a need for countries to develop strong judicial systems which function thoroughly and are not susceptible to interference from individuals, warning cracks in judicial systems are perfect recipes for corruption. Diop said clear rules governing investigations and eventual prosecution of corrupt individuals were a prerequisite for any government committed to fighting the vice.
He, however, said that he had faith in the governments commitment to curb the vice, noting that the ongoing investigations into the seven billion shillings Anglo-Leasing Finance company, accused of fraudulently obtaining money from the government, were so far satisfying.
Separately, the Panafrican News Agency writes that the World Bank will inject 102 million US dollar into Kenyas Energy Sector recovery project, including the development of the geothermal energy and the formation of a regulatory unit.
The money will also be spent on development of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises competitiveness projects in the East African nation.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
