Kenya ranks position 139 out of 169 in the recently published Global Corruption Perception Index (CPI 2015) by Transparency International.
This is a slight improvement from position 45 out of 175 countries globally in CPI 2014, even though the score remains at 25 per cent in the two surveys.
This score is, however, low compared to Africa's best performing country – Botswana with 69 per cent at position 28 out of 169 or even the best in East Africa – Rwanda with 54 per cent and position 44 out of 169.
The CPI measures perception, not actual corruption. Further, the 2015 CPI comes in the wake a renewed zeal to fight corruption.
In spite of the picture painted by the findings, the efforts by the Kenyan government, anti-corruption agencies, stakeholders and citizens to profile corruption as an urgent issue that needs to be tackled should be hailed.
The prioritisation of the challenge with respect to addressing corruption can segmented in six critical areas: institutional strengthening; policy and public sector reforms; financial management; public procurement systems; devolution; good governance and democracy.
Ceteris paribus, here is why we should celebrate that anti-corruption efforts are bearing fruit.
Since the 2010 constitution, Kenya has made great strides in establishing and strengthening governance institutions mandated with fighting corruption.
The constitution has established the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission as the primary agency of fighting graft. Other institutions playing a critical role in this endeavour are the Office of the Auditor General; the Office of the Controller of Budget; Kenya National Audit Office; Director of Public Prosecutions; the National Treasury; the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission; Parliament; the Commission on Administrative Justice; the National Anti-Corruption Campaign Steering Committee; the National Police Service; the National Intelligence Service; the Criminal Investigations Department; the Mutual Legal Assistance Central Authority; the Assets Recovery Agency; the Financial Reporting Centre; the Witness Protection Agency; the Inspectorate of State Corporations and the Efficiency Monitoring Unit.
Subsequently, we have witnessed fervor in enhanced monitoring, investigation, prosecution, restitution and reduction of corruption opportunities and incentives.
Kenya has made tremendous effort in putting in place a clear institutional framework for public sector reforms, including the establishment of sectoral reform committees, defining core functions of each state department, issuing guidelines on rationalisation of ministries and staff right sizing.
The performance appraisal criteria and the code of regulations to address work ethic issues have also been institutionalised. To address the assumed inadequate legal, policy and administrative frameworks, a number of interventions have been instituted. Kenya has, in line with Chapter six of the constitution, enacted the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012 and the Public Officers' Ethics Act 2003.
In addition to the well documented National Anti-Corruption Strategy, the Mwongozo Code of Conduct has also been introduced to entrench good governance in public institutions. In the long run, policy reform is an active step to limit increasing corruption.
Effective management of public finances by the national and county governments has been provided for under the Public Finance Management Act of 2012.
The PFM Act has created oversight responsibilities and addressed problems of inadequate planning and project prioritisation that are usually recipe for corruption.
There has also been a bolstered strategy of decentralisation in planning and monitoring of public expenditure through a policy of participatory budget making (County development Plans and National Budget Planning Cycles).
This policy has seen the move from incremental to rationalised budgets, strengthening of financial and accounting systems and their decentralisation.
In response to the many corruption related complaints emanating from the procurement sector, the systems have been strengthened under the Public Procurement Oversight Authority Act and the Public Procurement and Disposal Act 2005 as well as other legislation and administrative measures.
The Acts have specifically called for training, capacity building, and review of regulation and elimination of potential areas of conflict of interest. Moreover, the introduction of the Integrated Financial Management Information System has facilitated efficient and effective e-procurement of goods and services. Ifmis has, without a doubt, changed accountability in procurement.
Countries have adopted the decentralised system of governance as a way of reducing opportunities for corruption, devolving decision-making and enhancing services to local community and organisations.
Such countries include the Philippines, Cambodia and Macedonia. There is light at the end of the tunnel in Kenyas devolved system.
Good governance and democracy are the laboratory where integrity and transparency can be ripened. In line with the governance principles enshrined in Article 10 of the constitution, we have done well in securing basic welfare and democratic rights: equity, non-discrimination, public participation and integrity.
These interrelated set of principles combined with economic, institutional and political reforms have come to be known as Kenya's matchless good governance reform in the region.
Finally, it should also be reckoned that Kenya has adopted a multi-sectorial approach in fighting corruption. A recent US-Kenya governance 29-point pact saw a commitment to receive and implement best practices from the US on Kenya's anti-corruption legislation.
This is timely.
Drawing parallels from the best country practices in the CPI 2015 – Denmark (1), Finland (2) and Sweden (3) and as highlighted above, we have what it takes to eradicate corruption.
The novel feature of Kenya's framework and path taken is that it can go explicitly beyond the traditional focus of simply eradicating corruption to include a wide range of beneficial long-term, people-centered reform practices and social behaviour change.
Jacob Otachi is a PhD, Leadership and Governance student at JKUAT.