Kenya needs high-profile convictions – Anti-graft chief

Kenya’s anti-corruption commission has stepped up its investigations into alleged looting of public funds and has put two ministers in court, but its head says the judiciary needs to work harder to deliver convictions. Kenya has a history of multi-million dollar corruption scandals that have failed to result in high-profile convictions, angering the public who […]

Kenya’s anti-corruption commission has stepped up its investigations into alleged looting of public funds and has put two ministers in court, but its head says the judiciary needs to work harder to deliver convictions.
Kenya has a history of multi-million dollar corruption scandals that have failed to result in high-profile convictions, angering the public who say it shows how top officials act with impunity, and encourages graft by those in lower posts.
In recent months, public frustration has reached a boil over parliamentary probes into multi-million dollar government contracts, with one ministry accused of buying ballpoint pens at $85 each.
“If we get one single conviction, it will definitely transform the public perception and it will transform the activities and attitudes of public servants,” said Halakhe Waqo, the head of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).