Kenya: the rain-drops from the Corrupt Officials turns into a River of Corruption Cases; showing some recent cases of 2016!

“Corruption cannot be tackled from the top, it has to be confronted from the grassroots” – John Githongo.

Kenyan Government might not like it or trying to deflect it, but here certainly a sorry state when it comes to corruption, graft and embezzlement. If it is either getting a better business deal, paying local council-men for having a shop or being a hawker, paying police officers while passing through a district, getting help by government officials and other buying services from officials like judges and Land-Commissions to get ahead of competitions.

This here is a national problem, but many of the Government Officials and Ministers are involved so the Jubliee Government do not want to be too strong against it; if it is then one of their own have to jump on the sword and lose their job. I think they have learned from Mwai Kibaki’s government and how the Corruption made them eat and let the ethical procedures fly out the window.

I will here show the cases that have come since Januar 2016. And this is not all I presume, this is reports and probes of corruption and grafts in Kenya. There are lots of them and the amount of people says how big the picture is and how big the scope of corruption is; there have to be a general cleaning, but then the Government Officials and the codes of conduct have to be taken from streets to the Parliament. But when Kanjo Kingdom documentaries shows how the certain county cars drives around and pocket money from traders an hawkers in Nairobi as they have target funds to get each week. This proves the levels and stages of corruption. There are viable and visible, and as long as county officials in the capital can get away with having open corruption and trading tax that is not deducted through their financial statement. Then it proves that the re-vamp have to happen from the Grassroot as Hon. Githongo says and I abide by, but the precedence have to be set by the Deputy President Ruto and the President Kenyatta!

Here are the cases and probes.  

State House Kenya

200 State Officials needed clearance:

“Close to 200 people on the List of Shame President Uhuru Kenyatta handed to Parliament last year have been charged with corruption and abuse of office” (…)”A confidential report by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) shows all cases have been investigated and action taken on at least 61 per cent of them” (…)”The status report says some suspects have been taken to court while others have had their cases referred back to EACC for further investigations” (Gicobi, 2016).

Deputy President William Ruto and his Wife; Rachel Ruto dined VISA to the US:

“The first lady who was to be accompanied with the DP’s wife Rachel Ruto traveled alone due to her (Rachel) being denied a Visa by the USA embassy” (…)”According to reliable source, Rachel was denied Visa following allegations that her banking initiative had extorted donor funds” (…)”Recently, it was revealed that Deputy President was banned from traveling to the United States, however,  it looks like his whole family was too after his wife Rachel became the first to be denied a Visa” (…)”Ruto’s involvement in almost all corruption cases might also be the reason why Rachel was denied a US Visa” (Bironga, 2016).

Tunoi Probe:

“Supreme Court Judge Phllip Tunoi sought to discredit his accuser in the Sh 200 million bribery saga as he fought off allegations that could bring down his career and those of several colleagues.  Appearing before a committee probing the allegations Tunoi said an affidavit implicating him was possibly drawn by judiciary staff in an elaborate plot to end his career. As Francis Gachuri now reports Tunoi’s accuser Geoffrey Kiplagat also appeared before the committee that has until Wednesday to submit its findings” (Kenya Citizen TV, 2016).

Nike Probe:

“Under its terms, the athletics company would pay the Kenyan athletics federation $100,000 in honorariums each year and a one-time payment of $500,000, which was referred to as a “commitment bonus.” The New York Times reports that the bonus was immediately withdrawn by Kenyan officials and kept off the books” (…)”Nike conducts its business with integrity and expects that our partners do the same,” Nike told Fortune in a statement (Addady, 2016).

Bank’s Probe:

“Several banks are under investigations after a major tax evasion ring was busted at a border entry point. The racket, said to cost the government over Sh120 million in unpaid import duties at Namanga border post, comes barely a month after a similar incident was discovered at the Port of Mombasa” (…)”Two Equity Bank staff members and an unnamed number of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) personnel allegedly aided traders at the Namanga border post to import goods without paying duty, depriving the country revenue of more than Sh100 million” (…)”Nairobi-based financial analyst Aly Khan Satchu said the recent edict from the Central Bank where customers will need to clearly explain cash deposits and withdrawals of at least Sh1 million is welcomed. He said if the rules are enforced to the letter, corruption cartels would be dealt a blow” (…)“It’s clear that banks have a duty of care in this regard. If this new regulation is implemented without fear or favour then I am sure the deluge of ill-gotten proceeds going through the system will come to an abrupt stop. It seems to me it is no longer a question of rules and regulations, it is now a question of enforcement, pure and simple,” said Mr Satchu” (Ngungi, 2016).

King of Graft – Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba:

“A former Nairobi County chief finance officer amassed Sh800 million in cash, motor vehicles, buildings and land, which the government is now seeking to recover” (…)”Mr Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba’s wealth is half of the Sh1.6 billion that President Uhuru Kenyatta announced in his State of the Nation address that the government intends to seize” (Mwakilishi, 2016).

State of Jersey Confiscate Money:

“On 24 February 2016, Windward Trading Limited, a Jersey registered company, pleaded guilty to four counts of money laundering before the Royal Court of Jersey.  The Royal Court imposed a confiscation order of £3,281,897.40 and US$540,330.69, thereby stripping the company of all its assets” (…)”Windward admitted to laundering the proceeds of corruption between 29 July 1999 and 19 October 2001. The corrupt activities took place in Kenya where Windward’s beneficial owner, Samuel Gichuru, is resident. During the period on the indictment, Mr Gichuru was also the Chief Executive of Kenya Power and Lighting Company [KPLC], the Kenyan government’s electricity utility company. KPLC awarded valuable contracts to a number of engineering and energy companies worldwide who all made corrupt payments to Windward. The confiscation order provides an indication as to the scale of the criminal conduct that took place” (State of Jersey, 2016).

Afterthought:

This here shows the scope and reach of it. I don’t need to spell it out. It is clear as water. The rain-drops is becoming so much that they are creating a river in the valley; the same is happening with the corruption. There little rain-drops, but they all create a river and the water touches all parts of society. Time to put the kettle on and heat-up some water, because with all this eaten government funds and shady deals we need some sweet tea; Peace.

Reference:

Addady, Michael – ‘Nike Is at the Center of a Kenyan Corruption Probe’ (16.03.2016) link: http://fortune.com/2016/03/06/nike-kenya-corruption/

Bironga, Huldah – ‘CORRUPTION AT ITS PEAK; Ruto’s wife denied VISA by the USA for corruption linked allegation’ (24.03.2016) link: http://waza.co.ke/corruption-at-its-peak-rutos-wife-denied-visa-by-the-usa-for-corruption-linked-allegation/

Gicobi, Maryanne – ‘Kenya: 200 On Uhuru List Charged With Graft’ (15.02.2016) link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201602150294.html

Mwakilishi – ‘King of Graft Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba to Lose Sh800 Million Loot’ (01.04.2016) link: http://www.mwakilishi.com/content/articles/2016/04/01/king-of-graft-jimmy-mutuku-kiamba-to-lose-sh800-million-loot.html

Ngungi, Brian – ‘Kenya: Banks Under Probe Over Link to ‘Dirty Money’’ (28.03.2016) link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201603310135.html

State of Jersey (U.S.A.) – ‘Jersey confiscates £3.6 million proceeds of corruption’ (25.02.2016) link: http://www.gov.je/News/2016/Pages/Jersey-Confiscates-Proceeds-of-Corruption.aspx

The Battle for the Ugandan oil to the Coast; As the Tanzanian and the Kenyan suitors try to bait Mzee

There is the time and day where the President Museveni walks into Tanzania speaks to the new President Magefuli and promise more money for sustainable pipeline through Tanzania down to the coast. Later in the month he travels to Nairobi and meet President Kenyatta, and promises to ship the oil in pipelines through Kenya down to the Coast.

As both Big-Men do their bidding and promises quality lines in safe pastures with clean operations and good relationship between the countries and their businesses. While Tanzania was first in this time around, the Kenyan counterparts would not be worse.

The Ugandan Government have gone back-and-fourth promised Kenyan government before and made plans fitting the Kenyan perspective, so early in March after the general Election, the President met with President Magufuli seemed to be a grand deal, as the Tanzanian said they could start with building as early as August 2016 if the Ugandan Gov. was ready for it.

Now today it seemed as the Ugandan government have gone away from the Tanzanian agreement from early in month. As the Bunyoro oil fields will build pipelines from there down to Kenyan coast. A gentleman’s agreement between Uhuru and Yoweri, as they have worked together during election time, with funds and that President Museveni wants to give something back and show loyalty to the Kenyan President.

Tanzania and Uganda had even signed a framework agreement for the crude pipeline on the 12^th of October in 2015. That seemed just to be a plan and not official document as the President of Uganda, seem now to be keen to repay his fellow mate in Kenya.

We never know is if this an reaction the EAC Inter-Burundian Dialogue of Peace between the Burundian stakeholders where President Museveni has lost his position as the opposition in Burundi claimed he was biased towards President Nkurunziza and wanted somebody else, as the African Union and EAC let former Tanzanian President Mpaka take the key role, as the mediation will be led by him, not the Ugandan President. That must sting a bit to man who wants to be the grand King of East Africa and overrule all estates and areas at all cost. That might be why they scrapped the agreement with Tanzania when it comes to the Pipeline.

This here will be proof of who wants to be the cadre for the monies that Ugandan President could bring and how far they will go to eat from his hands. As the President plays the field on both home-grounds and hope to gain the most for himself for as little as possible, while serving loyalty to the ones he picks. The partly agreement that was written during last quarter of 2015 seems too premature, as the joint statement today assume that the Kenyan government takes the last straw. Especially with the knowledge of the funding of President Museveni campaign parts of those funds to his war-chest came from the mountains of Kenya and not from Tanzania.

Because a man like President Museveni is more about his own will than the best for the oil or the best for the companies involved, because he want to be sure that the decision is benefitting him and his loyal cadres. Not anybody else, therefore he plays with Tanzanian and Kenyan officials until he gets the best deal for him, even if that strands the already made agreement with Tanzania, as the Kenyan suitors want to make sure that he gets the sugar and the tea he needs to sign a joint deal with them, even keep the Migingo island, as the money from pipeline can bring wealth and create jobs in Kenya, more than a few fishes and stones in the middle of lake. Peace.