Donors urge government to intensify fight against corruption

Donors have expressed concern over alleged malpractices in the awarding of government contracts, and warned that Kenya risked losing donor support unless authorities intensified the fight against corruption.

"This is a key moment in Kenya's fight against corruption. What is required is intensification of effort and purposeful commitment," said a joint statement issued on Monday by the embassies of Britain, Canada, Germany, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.

The embassies were reacting to reports in the media during the past couple of months that there had been apparent impropriety in the awarding of some contracts to firms to build a forensic laboratory for the police and to print passports that could not be easily forged.

The government later cancelled the contracts, and the downpayments to the company were refunded. Three senior civil servants were sacked for their role in the alleged scandal, which is still under investigation. But opposition politicians have demanded the resignation of Finance Minister David Mwiraria, saying he should take responsibility for the scam.

"Thorough investigations, public disclosure of facts and full accountability, whether political or before the law, are clearly called for. Those who appear to be implicated should be required to step aside in order to facilitate investigations," the joint statement said.

"Development partners cannot be expected to put their taxpayers' funds at the service of Kenya if Kenya's own treasury and public resources are being tapped for private gain," it added. The embassies urged the government to quickly appoint an official to head the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, which has been without a director for almost two years, and increase funding for the anti-graft body.

President Mwai Kibaki's government came to power at the beginning of 2003 pledging to root out corruption perceived to be endemic in the previous administration of former President Daniel arap Moi.

After cutting off aid or reducing disbursements to Kenya in the 1990s because of corruption, the country's development partners pledged to resume lending last year, saying that the new government had shown commitment to fiscal probity.