Kenya ranks high in list of most corrupt

Money exchanging hands. Posed by models. PHOTO | EMMA NZIOKA | FILE

By  OUMA WANZALA

What you need to know:

  • Transparency International Kenya executive director Samuel Kimeu said Kenya’s score in the index remains unchanged from the 2012
  • Botswana remained the least corrupt country in Africa at position 30 with a score of 64

Corruption in Kenya remains high despite efforts to fight the vice, a report released on Tuesday shows.

The latest Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index 2013 launched by the global agency ranked Kenya at position 136 out of 177 countries and territories surveyed, with a score of 27 on a scale of 0 to 100.

Zero is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean. Burundi is the most corrupt of all EAC members followed by Uganda and then Kenya, according to the survey.

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Transparency International Kenya executive director Samuel Kimeu said Kenya’s score in the index remains unchanged from the 2012 ranking.

“Kenya’s score has remained disappointingly low and stagnant over a long period of time. A new impetus and approach to this issue is required,” Mr Kimeu said.

He said that public institutions need to be more open about their work and officials must be more transparent in their decision making.

TI also lamented that corruption remains difficult to investigate and prosecute.

“Corruption within the public sector remains the biggest challenge, not only in Kenya, but also globally, particularly in areas such as political parties, police, and justice systems,” Mr Kimeu said.

In East Africa, it is only Rwanda that has shown commitment to fight corruption.

Rwanda was position 49 with a score of 54, Seychelles at position 47 with a score of 54, and Mauritius at position 52 with a score of 52 completes the top five African countries.

BOTSWANA LEAST CORRUPT

Botswana remained the least corrupt country in Africa at position 30 with a score of 64, followed by Cape Verde at position 41 with a score of 58.

Some of the most corrupt countries in Africa include Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Libya and Guinea Bissau.

Mr Kimeu said that only six out of the 55 African countries ranked in the index scored 50 and above, a possible indication of serious corruption problem on the continent.

“Africa fares badly in our view because of the opacity that afflicts public affairs,” he said.

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