UK to help Kenya in joint effort against graft

Kenya anti-corruption commission director Prof Patrick Lumumba addresses a press conference after a meeting with the British High Commissioner to Kenya Rob Macaire (left) at Integrity Centre in Nairobi, August 31, 2010. PHOEBE OKALL | NATION

By FRED MUKINDA
Posted Tuesday, August 31 2010 at 16:14

Assets stolen from Kenya and stashed in the UK could be recovered in fresh efforts by the two governments.

While Kenya vowed to crack harder on corrupt individuals, the UK Government pledged to help in seizing wealth hidden in its jurisdiction and have it returned.

Anti-graft boss Patrick Lumumba and UK High Commissioner Rob Macaire agreed on the measures after a meeting at the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission headquarters on Tuesday.

Besides money stolen from public coffers being wired out of Kenya, corruption networks thrive through shady companies registered locally and abroad.

Prof Lumumba said: “Corruption entails moneys being taken away from our country and being kept in foreign countries and one of the obvious choices for many people engaged in corruption is the UK.”

“The High Commissioner has reiterated to us that his country and relevant organisations within his country are ready and willing to work with us,” he added.

On his part the envoy said the UK would like to see the anti-graft body take to court individuals involved in many unresolved corruption cases.

Besides working with the government agencies, the envoy said his government would involve the society in the fight against corruption.

Visa bans, in which corruption suspects are barred from entering the UK, he said would also be applied.

“We’ll try to crackdown illegally obtained assets, seize them, even return them to Kenya. That’s an area which we had some success in respect of other countries but sadly not yet in Kenya’s case. But it’s an area we have managed to do quite a lot in recent years,” said Mr Macaire.

“We’ve put in more resources trying to do that. We would like to see that move forward in Kenya so that we can act on asset seizure,” he added.

The High Commissioner was hopeful the promulgation of the Constitution and new leadership at KACC would ensure the fight against graft would move up to new levels.

“There are also criminal cases we would like to see brought to prosecution in Kenya with close cooperation with the authorities in the UK. ” he said.

In one of corruption cases an estimated Sh170 million for the free primary education was lost and Prof Lumumba promised to ensure senior ministry of Education officials, would have their day in court.

“The embezzlement was a very sad thing. There have been prosecutions of low level officers. Investigations are going at an advanced stage. We don’t want to engage in drama where you take people to court because there is political pressure. When you go to court you are convinced you can mount credible evidence,” he said.

The scandal caused the UK, which funded part of the education programme through the Department of International Development (DFID), to suspend its contribution.

Mr Macaire said his government had given 50 million pounds (Sh 6.2 billion) over six years to fund it.

“From our point of view we would not be able to go back to the funding through the government unless a number of conditions are met,” he said.

The UK opted to send contribution directly to schools, but has not been done because a system has not been put in place.