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Nairobi, February 20, 2010 – Ongoing political
wrangling in Kenya's coalition government is having a major detrimental
effect on its fight against corruption, a lobbying group warns.
Transparency International warned Kenya risked turning into a failed
state.
A rift in the fragile power-sharing government developed after PM Raila
Odinga announced the suspension of two ministers after corruption
scandals.
President Mwai Kibaki annulled the suspensions, saying the Mr Odinga did
not have the power to take the action.
The head of Transparency International in Kenya, Job Ogonda, said the
political dispute in Kenya's coalition government was sending out a very
dangerous message.
It was showing that the struggle for power was more important than the
fight against corruption and this, he said, would have dire consequences
come the next election.
"In 2012 it's very likely we're going to have a meltdown," said Mr
Ogonda.
"We have the significant risk that Kenya will be generating to a failed
state.
"This is how in Sierra Leone and indeed Liberia were fomented: the
executive being eliminated and oblivious for the failed state risks that
corruption causes especially where the population is young, educated and
unemployed".
Plagued by scandal
Fighting corruption in Kenya is a difficult - some would say impossible
- task.
Mr Ogonda said his staff had been threatened on several occasions.
While he said some Kenyan politicians had built a reputation through
professionalism and accountability, he was on the whole scathing of the
political elite.
"Within parliament you find a new breed of leaders who are committed to
the good governance of this country, but the vast majority of the people
who wield immense power are definitely fraudsters," he said.
Kenya has in the past been plagued by huge corruption scandals, but
punishing the perpetrators is very rare.
Whilst the political dispute in Kenya has halted the suspension of two
ministers, Job Ogonda said if they were to be suspended it would send
out a positive message and would help end a deeply entrenched culture of
impunity.
Source: BBC
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