By Kenneth Oduor

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 24, 2007 – A corruption index report targeting Kenya which has been released by the world’s graft supervisory body Transparency International (TI) reveals that Kenyan police as the most corrupt government body six years in a row.

The report further reveals that Kenyans are paying more bribes than they did two years ago. The bribes are paid mainly to access public services that should be provided at no fee by the government.

The Transparency International report will be a big blow to the government as it comes hot on the heels of the government’s efforts to initiate the Rapid Results Initiative which is aimed at enhancing service delivery to the public. Also coming just four months to a general election, the government must move fast to save face.

Other government institutions that have been accused by the report include the Transport Licensing Board, the Ministry of Education both of which are at the top of the list. The report further reveals high cases of graft within the Law Society of Kenya saying lawyers are increasingly demanding bribes from court orderlies and insurance companies with compensation claims to give to the public.

The report forecasts a very sad picture to the Kenyan public as the institutions that are mandated with the task of fighting graft are embroiled in graft. These institutions are the office of the Attorney General, the Electoral Commission of Kenya and the National Assembly. The inclusion of the Electoral Commission of Kenya especially in an electioneering year might be a show of things to come.

Other institutions that have made it to the list of shame include foreign missions and embassies, parliament, and the Kenya Airports Authority.

Dr. Richard Leakey, the Chairman of the Steering Committee of Transparency International-Kenya Chapter said parents taking their children to institutions of higher learning were finding it more expensive due to rampant cases of graft in those institutions. Public universities and colleges take the lead in this group.

“Only the rich have access to justice in this country because the poor can hardly afford to pay the hefty bribes being demanded in government institutions. There is no justice at all and economic empowerment is tilted to favor the poor,” Dr. Leakey said.

Lawyers in Kenya top the list of the most badly behaved professionals in dealing with members of the public.

Surprise inclusions in the report are the Non Governmental Organizations, which have been cited as corrupt especially when it comes to employment.

The report’s lead architect, Dr. David Ndii said the entry of lawyers to the corruption list is shameful as it did not auger well for the country’s justice system. The country’s courts are some of the most corrupt not only in Kenya but also within the East African region.

“When you have lawyers making it to the list in this scale alongside the judiciary, then you definitely know the direction we are headed especially in respect to human rights issues”, said Dr. Ndii who is also the Executive Director of the Kenya Leadership Institute.

Dr. Ndii is one of the country’s most respected brains in economic issues. He is a former economist at the World Bank and an architect of most government policies.

Source: The Sub-Saharan Informer