Kenya passes graft law
2003-04-17 11:42
Nairobi - Kenya's parliament has passed an anti-corruption bill which was a key condition to the resumption of donor aid frozen two years ago, an official said on Thursday.
"The Public Officer Ethics Bill got final approval of the national assembly on Wednesday night after several delays caused by redrafting, lack of quorum and consultation among parliamentary ranks," Treasury spokesperson Eunice Muthamia said.
The Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Bill also passed the debate stage and awaits final scrutiny by the whole house before the two bills are forwarded to the president for signature.
Muthamia was confident the second bill will be passed because the opposition Kenya African National Union (Kanu) have confirmed their support.
"The Anti-Corruption Bill introduces tough measures to counter corruption, which has been deeply entreched in Kenya," she said.
"The ethics bill provides for elaborate mechanism under which civil servants, who are the symbol of corruption in the past, declare and account for their wealth."
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) suspended lending in January 2001 after they accused Kenyan authorities of not doing enough to fight corruption.
They promised to restore funding to the east African country this year if the government took credible measures to fight corruption.
President Mwai Kibaki's National Rainbow Coalition won last December's elections after pledging to stamp out corruption to revive the economy. - Sapa-AFP
- SAPA