Judge to lead corruption war
2004-08-05 12:33
Nairobi - Kenyan lawmakers on Wednesday voted to appoint a judge as the head of a commission designed to fight graft in the country, which was a key demand by donors who have accused the government of tolerating corruption, an official said.
"Parliament today (Wednesday) voted Justice Aaron Ringera as the first director of Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC)," Kaplich Barsito, KACC's spokesperson said.
KACC is empowered to investigate and prosecute people suspected of corruption. Ringera's appointment is however subject to presidential approval.
Ringera, currently a court of appeal judge, was the author of a report on corruption in the judiciary that led to the suspension of 23 high court judges in October 2003.
Pressure from donors
International donors last month chided President Mwai Kibaki's government for failing to stamp out corruption, notably by delaying the appointment of KACC's head as well failing to investigate and prosecute government official implicated in graft.
European Union (EU) member states in July decided that the time was not appropriate to approve planned budgetary support for Kenya, also citing graft.
The British High Commissioner in Kenya, Edward Clay, also in July mounted a blistering attack on the government, saying that ministers were blatantly corrupt.
The allegations of graft are highly awkward for a government, which swept to power in December 2002 on a platform of ending the endemic corruption that had characterised Kenyan public life for decades.