| U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger | | | | The corruption watchdog Transparency International |
| Tuesday delivered a speech to the American | | | | ranked Kenya near the bottom, 142nd out of the 163 |
| Chamber of Commerce in Kenya urging the Kenyan | | | | countries surveyed, in its corruption index for 2006. |
| government to crack down on corruption and the | | | | Two former ministers who were accused of being |
| country to put ethnic and personal differences aside in | | | | involved in Anglo Leasing, Minister of Education George |
| preparing for next year's elections. | | | | Saitoti and Minister of Energy Kiraitu Murungi, were last |
| The ambassador opened his speech by lauding Kenya | | | | week re-appointed to their portfolios by President |
| for "moving in a positive direction." | | | | Mwai Kibaki. |
| He noted that the East African country's economy has | | | | Ranneberger also urged the government and all |
| been growing steadily since 2002, with growth | | | | Kenyans to put ethnic, personal, or other interests |
| expected to exceed six percent this year, and that the | | | | aside in the run-up to next year's elections. |
| many self-help groups and watchdog organizations | | | | "While it is increasingly free and open, Kenya's political |
| make Kenya what he called "the most active and | | | | process remains too narrowly focused on tribal, |
| vibrant in sub-Saharan Africa." | | | | regional, and personal interests," noted the U.S. |
| But, said Ranneberger, there are still overwhelming | | | | ambassador. "This is to the detriment of a national |
| problems in Kenya, chief among them being corruption. | | | | agenda and the welfare of the people as a whole." |
| He referred to the so-called Anglo Leasing scandal of | | | | "When a country's political class, whether leaders in the |
| several years ago, in which government officials | | | | government or in the opposition, consistently put tribal, |
| awarded lucrative contracts to fictitious companies. | | | | family, or personal interests first, governance fails," |
| "Corruption in Kenya exacts a terrible toll and is | | | | Ranneberger continued. "Government becomes not a |
| probably the single greatest impediment to economic | | | | pathway to achieve national consensus and |
| development and poverty reduction," said | | | | development for the betterment of all, but rather a |
| Ranneberger. "The Anglo Leasing contracts totaled | | | | platform for patronage, cronyism, corruption, waste, |
| some $700 million. To put this number in perspective: | | | | and mismanagement." |
| $700 million is more than the total foreign assistance | | | | He said he urges all politicians and political actors in |
| provided to Kenya over the past year by international | | | | Kenya to conduct their campaigns and other activities |
| development banks and governments like my own." | | | | in ways that would appeal to all Kenyans, not just |
| Ranneberger said corruption discourages new and | | | | members of a particular ethnic group. |
| existing investment, as it raises the cost of doing | | | | Ranneberger was also concerned about increased |
| business in Kenya. He called corruption "a cancer, | | | | narcotics trafficking, especially on the coast, and |
| robbing Kenya of the resources badly needed for | | | | money laundering activities. |
| development and prosperity." | | | | |