World Bank again accused of tolerating corruption in Kenya
3 April 2008
Wall Street Journal editorial targets corruption in World Bank projects in Kenya, spurring renewed complaints about the Bank’s alleged contribution to a climate of loose ethics and corruption in the Kenyan government.
On March 6, a Wall Street Journal editorial targeted corruption in World Bank projects in Kenya as part of that newspaper’s series of commentaries on corruption and perceived mismanagement at the Bank. The article provided a link to a report on four Kenyan projects completed in January 2007 by the World Bank’s Department of Institutional Integrity (INT). The report details evidence of suspicious procurement and hiring practices on two HIV/AIDS projects and one road-building project.
The article spurred renewed complaints about the Bank’s alleged contribution to a climate of loose ethics and corruption in the Kenyan governments – complaints that were first voiced by Sir Edward Clay, former UK ambassador to Kenya. This time, John Githongo, former Permanent Secretary for Governance and Ethics, who fled the country after revealing details of a contracting scheme involving cabinet members, charged that “the World Bank became like a department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying everything was okay.” Bank spokesperson Eric Chinje responded by detailing the loans the Bank suspended in response to the scandal.
The INT report was published two months before the World Bank ended its suspension and renewed support, saying it was using the Kenyan loans to pilot new and stricter measures to ensure good governance.
Resources
- Kenya and the World Bank, Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2008 (WSJ website)
- Githongo blames World Bank for chaos, Daily Nation, March 22, 2008 (Nation website)
- Bank dismisses Githongo’s claim, Daily Nation, March 31, 2008 (Nation website)
- Kenya Detailed Implementation Review Report, World Bank INT (WSJ website)