Europe, US envoys fire warning shot in war on corruption

State and public officers who have either been questioned or adversely mentioned in corruption cases risk being barred from travelling to Europe and the United States as western diplomats moved to raise pressure in the war against graft.

Eleven diplomats, who held a meeting with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Thursday, said they would impose travel restrictions on officials linked to corruption, saying graft was undermining the country’s future.

“We are prepared to take further steps to support the Kenyan authorities including, when permitted by law, the return of stolen assets to the Kenyan people or to impose travel restrictions on those responsible for graft,” the envoys said in a joint statement they issued after the meeting at Integrity Centre in Nairobi.

The joint statement was read to the press by US Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec, who led the team to the EACC offices.

The meeting between the envoys and EACC officials came just two days after Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru was questioned over the loss of hundreds of millions of shillings from the National Youth Service (NYS).

After the questioning, her lawyer, Mr Ahmednasir Abdullahi, said the CS would at best be a witness in the case but EACC officials said investigations were still under way.

Apart from the US, other countries represented in the meeting are the United Kingdom, Canada, Finland, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Under the Grand Coalition administration, the western envoys imposed restrictions on top Kenya officials implicated in corruption by denying them visas.

Several Cabinet secretaries in the Jubilee administration have been asked to step aside to pave the way for investigations into corruption allegations in their ministries.

They are Land, Housing and Urban Development CS Charity Ngilu, Mr Kazungu Kambi (Labour), Mr Michael Kamau (Transport and Infrastructure), Mr Davis Chirchir (Energy) and Mr Felix Koskei (Agriculture).

TOUGH ACTION
The Devolution and Planning Ministry, headed by Ms Waiguru, has also been in the spotlight over corruption allegations at the NYS.

On Tuesday, Ms Waiguru was questioned by EACC detectives over the loss of Sh791 million from the NYS. The money disappeared in dubious procurement deals.

Early this year, President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed to crack down on all officials implicated in graft after he received a report from the EACC.

He subsequently suspended four Cabinet secretaries and 12 other high-ranking officials.

Mrs Ngilu and Mr Kamau have already been charged in court.

EACC Chief Executive Halakhe Waqo, who chaired Thursday’s talks with envoys, said the commission was making every effort to fight corruption and promised to engage the international partners.

“We shall be taking each complaint or issue raised and once we are ready we shall forward the case to other agencies for arrest and prosecution,” said Mr Waqo, flanked by his deputy, Mr Michael Mubea.

Opposition politicians, led by Cord leader Raila Odinga, and NGOs have in the recent past faulted President Kenyatta and the EACC, accusing them of being selective in fighting corruption.

The Mr Kenyatta has also come under pressure from MPs in his Jubilee Coalition to sack Ms Waiguru. In his Mashujaa Day address last month, the President said he was aware of the problems in his government and promised that action would be taken.

On Thursday, the envoys said the government should investigate all allegations of corruption and those found responsible should face court action.

“If they are found guilty, they should not be spared. They should be punished appropriately, regardless of their position or wealth,” read their statement.

POORLY EQUIPPED

As Kenya’s international partners, the diplomats said they would continue to assist with investigations where their citizens are involved.

“We are committed to taking tough and swift action when our own citizens are involved in activities that weaken the rule of law in Kenya,” they said.

While reiterating their support to strengthen the culture of integrity, the envoys said they broadly welcomed the steps that President Kenyatta and his government had taken in recent months to address corruption.

However, they said that the EACC and other anti-corruption agencies were not well-equipped to fight graft, which has dented Kenya’s image and deterred investment.

“We urged the government to take further steps to empower the commission (EACC) and other corruption-fighting agencies with the tools and resources needed to counter the scourge of corruption in a credible, effective, and sustained manner,” they said.

They asked government officials, opposition politicians, the Judiciary, civil society, business people, faith leaders and ordinary citizens not to tolerate corruption of any kind.

“As international partners, we will work together with Kenyans to achieve this goal,” they said.