Kenya says it is swamped by wave of past scams

NAIROBI – Kenya’s anti-corruption bodies are overwhelmed by the number of cases they are investigating, especially those alleged to have been committed under previous governments, a minister said on Monday.

“It is my considered view that time has come for us to deal with present and future corruption, which I think we have the capacity to deal with,” Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Kiraitu Murungi said. However, he declared: “Investigating, prosecuting and punishing past corruption is becoming an almost impossible task.”He was speaking at a conference attended by government officials, representatives from the donor community, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to review Kenya’s governance action plan promised at a conference in April.President Mwai Kibaki came to power in late 2002 vowing to eradicate graft and improve governance.However, critics, including international donors, say he has not done enough and those implicated in graft have not been punished.Kenya, east Africa’s biggest economy, suffered badly as official corruption thrived during former President Daniel arap Moi’s 24-year rule.Murungi was quick to say that the government had ruled out a blanket amnesty for those implicated, but would pursue selected cases.”We could also consider selected prosecutions for only the most blatant corruption, economic crimes committed during the period before we came to power,” he said.Amnesty is a controversial issue in Kenya where many have demanded that those who stole public funds be forced to pay them back.Murungi said the time had come for the government to consider the option of restitution for all corruptly obtained property.He said that, although the government had taken many senior public servants to court to answer corruption charges, the accused were taking advantage of loopholes in court procedures to prolong the cases.”The result is that many cases filed against seven permanent secretaries, a former cabinet minister and many heads of parastatal organisations have been pending in court for more than two years now,” Murungi said.Murungi said the government was going to hire more magistrates and prosecutors and retrain those already working.- Nampa-ReutersHowever, he declared: “Investigating, prosecuting and punishing past corruption is becoming an almost impossible task.”He was speaking at a conference attended by government officials, representatives from the donor community, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to review Kenya’s governance action plan promised at a conference in April.President Mwai Kibaki came to power in late 2002 vowing to eradicate graft and improve governance.However, critics, including international donors, say he has not done enough and those implicated in graft have not been punished.Kenya, east Africa’s biggest economy, suffered badly as official corruption thrived during former President Daniel arap Moi’s 24-year rule.Murungi was quick to say that the government had ruled out a blanket amnesty for those implicated, but would pursue selected cases.”We could also consider selected prosecutions for only the most blatant corruption, economic crimes committed during the period before we came to power,” he said.Amnesty is a controversial issue in Kenya where many have demanded that those who stole public funds be forced to pay them back.Murungi said the time had come for the government to consider the option of restitution for all corruptly obtained property.He said that, although the government had taken many senior public servants to court to answer corruption charges, the accused were taking advantage of loopholes in court procedures to prolong the cases.”The result is that many cases filed against seven permanent secretaries, a former cabinet minister and many heads of parastatal organisations have been pending in court for more than two years now,” Murungi said.Murungi said the government was going to hire more magistrates and prosecutors and retrain those already working.- Nampa-Reuters