Rob Macaire

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Friday 04 September, 2009

There's been an enormous storm of protest over the re-appointment of Justice Ringera as head of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission. Lots of conflicting views about legality, process, who is responsible for what. Whatever the legal position (and I am no lawyer), it seems to me that this very public anger translates into a simple message from the Kenya public to government: DO SOMETHING ABOUT CORRUPTION. The debate over this appointment just sums up how frustrated people are at continuing high level and widespread graft. It's something I and my predecessors have said consistently and loudly - corruption is a devastating problem in Kenya, and it hurts ordinary people worst. The mechanisms to deal with it need to be strengthened and must be seen to be credible and able to operate independently and with impact. Successful prosecutions at a high level are surely the best way to deter corruption and make real inroads into the culture of impunity in Kenya. And of course for key appointments it would be far better if the executive, legislature and other stakeholders could agree rather than taking up opposing positions. But above all, what I take away from Kenyan public reactions to this issue is that people's faith in the institutions and the political will of the government and parliament has to be restored. ends Rob

Posted at 13:25 04 September 2009 by Rob Macaire | Comments[7]

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Hi Rob & other bloggers it has been a while since I was in this blog. It is true we are frustrated by the high placed corruption. But let me look at it from another point, this feud has turned to be a PNU versus ODM and it has also taken a tribal connotation. This is dangerous and it should also be noted that the two deputies are not attracting as much attention and it is because of tribal blindness. To me the commission is now tainted and if Ringera is still the director then the citizenry will not offer any support to him and this will make his job difficult and hence corruption is not going anywhere my dear Kenyans.

Posted by Benjamin Mogere Masenge on September 04, 2009 at 10:06 PM EAT #

I stumbled across this blog and am pleasantly surprised though the number of visitors seems to be very few.In relation to the 'corruption' realistically we are up against the proverbial brick wall.Nothing will change until something seismic occurs be it a citizens uprising or a fundamental change of govt.It is very disheartening to see the lack of cohesion and organisation prevalent in bodies tasked with fighting corruption.Also as there are intricate links linking many of the elite,it is futile fighting a multi headed hydra monster.The Kenyan mentality of 'Big Man' needs to change through civic education and this is not happening enough at the moment.Goldenberg,Anglo leasing and a myriad of other scandals are a dark stain and a shameful ocurrence for Kenya.

Posted by Byron. on September 05, 2009 at 10:59 AM EAT #

Agreed. It also exposes the institutional crisis we have in this country where trust is in the people and not the institutions they lead. This is characteristic of weak democracies. If Kenya is to rise above its own problems, it must strengthen its institutions so that whoever is in charge will be nailed by the institution in case he deviates and does not perform like Ringera has done. The leaders of these institutions will be beaten into shape by their institutions and forced into line. At the moment, while it is true that other people might do better than Ringera, it might not just be enough due to inherent challenges in the institution itself. And so reforming KACC and the law setting it up should be at the core of the present uproar. Obviously, and we will say it even if you don't say it Rob, the reappointment was grossly illegal and illegitimate. We have seen these games played before with fatal ends like the 2007 unilateral appointment of ECK commissioners which though legal was not legitimate.

Posted by Musau on September 06, 2009 at 03:56 PM EAT #

Your Excellency, if the real issues in Ringera's reappointment were not just the power games of the political class then it should ideally have elicited public protests in greater scale than what you now call a storm. Unfortunately "Wanjiku" is disillusioned and burdened by the intrigues of that political class to the point of despondency. It is almost as if it would matter little if it is Ringera or Ahemednassir; the dragon of corruption fought back and is currently having the better of Kenya, sadly.

Posted by Mucemi Mwangi on September 12, 2009 at 05:53 PM EAT #

Ringera and the anti-corruption agency were masters of blame game,everything but them was to blame,and stil is.But we must demand more than personnel changes.We need reforms anchored on stong laws and institutions.And that is where we all fail.While i cannot, like the Amb.,tell whether the appointment was legal or not,one cannot help but see an attempt to protect the corrupt through retentin of a non reformist director.However,am afraid that the much touted reforms will neither come from parliament nor the judiciary,they both reek of corruption and incompetence.Nothing short of a revolutionary change will transform this country,however painful.

Posted by Mbugua Muchoki on September 15, 2009 at 04:07 PM EAT #

Currently as I am writing this I am listening to parliament live, the MP's are just protecting personal interests and tribal balance as I had already said. Clearly how can the Justice minister Mutula Kilonzo claim that Ringera was properly appointed then later on he claims that Kioko Mangeli was wrongly dismissed, you see the tribalism in it. Let us see where it will end

Posted by Benjamin Mogere Masenge on September 16, 2009 at 06:45 PM EAT #

For no good reason except to stymie efforts to fight corruption the bodies that investigate & prosecute economic crimes are deliberately kept separate... KACC says we investigate but AG doesn't prosecute... AG says we can't prosecute coz of shoddy investigations by KACC... Tennis, anyone?

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Rob Macaire

High Commissioner to Kenya

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