The World Bank urged Kenya on Tuesday to act against corruption following accusations by graft watchdogs that officials were stealing public funds, reports the World Bank press review Tuesday
– We consider the allegations of misprocurement of passport equipment to reflect the kind of personal greed that drove Kenya into the ranks of the worlds most corrupt nations, said Makhtar Diop, the head of the banks Kenya office. – We are eager to see the outcome of the ongoing investigation and even more eager to see action taken to ensure that the safeguards are in place to avoid a repetition, Diop said in an article in the Daily Nation (Kenya).
President Mwai Kibaki is under fire from donor states and graft watchdogs who accuse him of tolerating corruption in high places. His government has launched an investigation into a 2,7 billion shilling (33 million US dollar) project to improve Kenyas system for issuing passports that his own officials have said involved serious irregularities.
The European Union said last week it had postponed a decision on an aid package Kenya needs for its budget because of graft concerns. – We stand where we have stood for a very long time – with the people of Kenya, whenever they express their outrage over diversion for personal gain of scarce funds needed to reduce poverty and provide essential government services, Diop said.
Britain, a key donor, says the rate of theft of public funds by top officials is even quicker than that seen under Kibakis predecessor Daniel arap Moi.
The World Bank in June approved loans and grants of 262 million US dollar for projects focused on water, transport and farming. The bank and major Western donors promised 4,1 billion US dollar (25 milliarder DKR) in long term funds to fight poverty last December after the International Monetary Fund restarted lending in November following a three-year gap caused by worries over corruption.
Diop said Kenya needed more efficient government procurement and more accuracy and transparency in internal financial reporting. It also needed to speed up plans to sell parastatal corporations in the finance sector, which he said had been vehicles for corrupt transactions for many years.
– We would be keen to see movement on the privatization front, as there is a strategy in place ready to be implemented, Diop noted.
The East African Standard online (Kenya) meanwhile reports that operations of the National Anti-Corruption Steering Committee launched by Kibaki last week have not taken off due to lack of a budgetary allocation.
A section of members are fearful that the committee is a public relation exercise by the government to ease pressure from donors, who want it to rein in on those implicated in graft. Twice, scheduled meetings for the committee members have been postponed at the last minute while a retreat to chart the way forward was shelved indefinitely, revealed a source.
The committee has now rescheduled another crucial meeting for 11 August. Immediately after the launch of the committee, the source said, a section of the committee members were contemplating resigning after the personalities close to the president foiled a face-to-face meeting with him at State House before the launch.
In another piece, The East African Standard notes Kibaki on Monday asked those who have information regarding corruption in government to volunteer it to the authorities for action. The President said the fight against corruption cannot be won through rumors, hearsay and allegations and asked for evidence to enable the government to act.
Kibaki assured those volunteering such information that it would be treated confidentially and acted upon. The Head of State said any public officer found to be corrupt or abetting corruption will be sacked and prosecuted.
The President spoke as the World Bank weighed in on the matter of the cancelled 2,7 billion shilling security passports tender that had been awarded Anglo Leasing and Finance firm. The Banks Country Representative, Makhtar Diop, said the Bretton Woods institution was waiting for the outcome of the ongoing investigations into the passports tender.
The Nation (Kenya) further reports that Kenya has opened talks with a high-level team that will scrutinize the country as part of an African rating system aimed at winning investor confidence.
Facing growing international criticism over corruption, Kenyan government officials on Monday met Graca Machel, one of a panel of eminent Africans leading the review, as part of a preparatory process. However, officials from the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD), Africas homegrown economic rescue plan, said no date had been fixed for the review to start.
Kenya will be among the first four countries to take part in the peer review scheme being closely watched by Africans and international donors. The reviews, conducted by a panel including Machel and Chris Stals, a former governor of South Africas central bank, will report back on a variety of issues ranging from corruption to political freedom and economic policy.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
