World Bank urges Kenya to act on graft revelations

LUSAKA – The World Bank wants Kenya to act on a report by a former anti-corruption chief linking senior ministers to graft, a senior bank official said on Saturday.

World Bank African region Vice President Gobind Nankani said President Mwai Kibaki’s government should respond to demands to act on the corruption allegations against some officials. Nankani said the bank’s further support to Kenya would be determined by the seriousness of the government to tackle graft.Kenya’s Finance Minister David Mwiraria resigned on Wednesday, claiming he had been wrongly linked to a multi-million dollar corruption scandal that has rocked the government and infuriated Western donors.The 67-year-old friend of Kibaki – who has run east Africa’s largest economy for the last three years – is the first official to step down over revelations about the ‘Anglo Leasing’ scam in which contracts went to a phantom firm.”It is very important when reports like the Githongo report come out that the government of Kenya actually demonstrates to all its people its commitment to good governance by taking action that (is) necessary to put the Kenyan people’s opinion at rest,” Nankani told Reuters during a visit to Zambia.Mwiraria was one of four senior figures accused in recent days by Kenya’s former anti-corruption chief John Githongo.”We will engage with the government of Kenya in support of good governance, but if good governance is lagging we will be less engaged,” Nankani added.As well as Mwiraria, Githongo named Vice President Moody Awori, Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi and recently sacked Transport Minister Chris Murungaru.”In the case of Kenya the most important point to note is that the people of Kenya are demanding good governance from the government and we have seen the government of Kenya in its various ways trying to respond to those demands,” Nankani said.Documents released by Githongo from Britain, where he now lives after resigning and leaving Kenya last year, linked the four and various junior officials to tenders worth about US$200 million (about N$1 500 million), according to local media.Mwiraria, who has been credited with overseeing a turnaround in the economy after decades of decline, was accused of knowing about some of the contracts and participating in a cover-up.Foreign donors are closely monitoring the saga, a huge embarrassment to Kibaki, who swept to power in 2002 promising to wipe out the rampant corruption that blighted the nation of 32 million people under his predecessor, Daniel arap Moi.Nankani said the World Bank was currently engaged with the Kenya in supporting a number of structural measures aimed at improving good governance, including reforms on procurement laws and privatisation laws.- Nampa-ReutersNankani said the bank’s further support to Kenya would be determined by the seriousness of the government to tackle graft.Kenya’s Finance Minister David Mwiraria resigned on Wednesday, claiming he had been wrongly linked to a multi-million dollar corruption scandal that has rocked the government and infuriated Western donors.The 67-year-old friend of Kibaki – who has run east Africa’s largest economy for the last three years – is the first official to step down over revelations about the ‘Anglo Leasing’ scam in which contracts went to a phantom firm.”It is very important when reports like the Githongo report come out that the government of Kenya actually demonstrates to all its people its commitment to good governance by taking action that (is) necessary to put the Kenyan people’s opinion at rest,” Nankani told Reuters during a visit to Zambia.Mwiraria was one of four senior figures accused in recent days by Kenya’s former anti-corruption chief John Githongo.”We will engage with the government of Kenya in support of good governance, but if good governance is lagging we will be less engaged,” Nankani added.As well as Mwiraria, Githongo named Vice President Moody Awori, Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi and recently sacked Transport Minister Chris Murungaru.”In the case of Kenya the most important point to note is that the people of Kenya are demanding good governance from the government and we have seen the government of Kenya in its various ways trying to respond to those demands,” Nankani said.Documents released by Githongo from Britain, where he now lives after resigning and leaving Kenya last year, linked the four and various junior officials to tenders worth about US$200 million (about N$1 500 million), according to local media.Mwiraria, who has been credited with overseeing a turnaround in the economy after decades of decline, was accused of knowing about some of the contracts and participating in a cover-up.Foreign donors are closely monitoring the saga, a huge embarrassment to Kibaki, who swept to power in 2002 promising to wipe out the rampant corruption that blighted the nation of 32 million people under his predecessor, Daniel arap Moi.Nankani said the World Bank was currently engaged with the Kenya in supporting a number of structural measures aimed at improving good governance, including reforms on procurement laws and privatisation laws.- Nampa-Reuters