The recent suspected Sh25 billion money-laundering ring and acquisition of proceeds of crime involving questionable transactions through proxies show all is not well in our socioeconomic and political economy.
Cases where laundered money is wired into banks in the country allegedly from Nigeria and Hong Kong necessitates a closer monitoring on the due diligence and dealings of the banks.
Although Kenya has taken steps to combat corruption and money laundering through Financial Action Task Force mechanism, experience has shown even good regulatory laws are worth little in the face of powerful predatory cartels, networks and syndicates, which are entrenched to destabilise Kenya’s socio-economic and political stability.
I don’t think anyone would like the position the IEBC, the DPP, the EACC and other relevant government agencies have taken to allow politicians accused of corruption and laundering money a lifeline to vie in the 2022 general election.
Even though the IEBC says that it will not do a crackdown on candidates with integrity cases, political parties can still do this. In addition, many religious organisations have called on voters to reject those with corruption charges or pending court cases to protect moral values, national ethos as provided for under Chapter 6 of the Constitution.
Public officers who launder money should face a sustained crackdown. Even If they claim being targeted based on political grounds, that should be disregarded as lame excuses.
Individuals who avoid legitimate financial systems and overlook best financial practices are criminals. The judgment to be handed to them should be the heaviest fine, life imprisonment or capital punishment to deter such behaviour.
ODM leader Raila Odinga has on many occasions said he would like to pursue zero tolerance to corruption. A look at his past concerted fights for democracy and pluralism, adduces evidence that he can deal with corruption, fulfil the development promise and deliver Vision 2030.
The US has categorised Kenya as one of the countries on its regular radar on corruption, money laundering, and illicit financial flows, among others.
The first threat is whether the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission will deliver free, fair, credible and transparent elections, if the corrupt, money launderers, murderous and scaremongers are allowed to contest and influence the electorate’s choices in the August polls.
The second is the government’s aloof and nonchalant attitude, while those hell bent on plunging Kenya into economic abyss through money laundering, corruption, IFFs transfers for economic sabotage, terrorism, corruption scandals and land grabbing, among other ills, are left to walk scot-free.
Third threat is governors charged with abuse of office, MPs convicted of corruption and senior politicians indicted for money laundering and all manner of integrity questions being let allowed to vie unexamined.
Martha Karua in 2010 once noted in the EastAfrican that MPs were corrupt at the expense of Kenya. With such remarks, she expected MPs to do better oversight plus self-abnegation but it seems they did not do a good job.
HOW CORRUPT IS KENYA
The Transparency International in 2020 reported that Kenya ranked 124th out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perception Index. This ranking gave Kenya a score of 31 out of 100, seemingly a high-level of public sector corruption.
Then in 2021, Kenya was ranked 128th out of 180 countries on corruption. The CPI of 2021, Kenya retrogressed further in the public sector corruption.
Recently, as I strolled in Nakuru, I heard a group of youths in a heated conversation arguing: “We don't have jobs and starve because of the ghost workers and terrible corruption that has sweep away monies that can employ us.’’
This is the real situation our children are in today.
Last year, President Kenyatta lamented that he was concerned that the country was losing about Sh2 billion to corruption each day. According to the EACC, Kenya loses an estimated Sh610 billion to corruption yearly.
There are five suggestions to help combat corruption.
First, those implicated in corruption must have their judgments delivered at least six months before elections and denied any responsibilities before they are cleared.
Second, the ideal situation should be a reversal of presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
Third, the EACC needs to be expanded and provided with the requisite professional mix of skills that meet the demands of the job.
Fourth, the IEBC should make election free, fair and transparent by eliminating from the ballot money launderers and those who buy people using stolen money.
Finally there is urgent need to strengthen Auditor General’s financial accountability to curb corruption in all sectors and be able to issue a bi-annual report of all audited reports for inspection.
Makodingo Washington in his article Pausing prosecution of graft is a mistake posits that if the law is too lenient on the perpetrators, voters must stand as the line of defence for the country. We must say No to candidates with no integrity at the ballot .
Prof. Awino Sikwadhi is a university lecturer
