Getting tough on corruption: The need for an ‘angel of death’

Advocates of the infamous doctrine of racial hygiene propped their murderous extermination of Jews in the holocaust on the misguided belief that certain populations had impure and inferior genes. These inferior genes were said to cause chaos and undesirable characters among certain groups. Read More...

Education in the Jubilee Government blueprint

Following the March 4th General elections, Kenya is now settling into the new structure of Government. The country is now governed at two levels: the National and County level. As a result, government functions are now being executed at the two levels of governance, including the education sector.

 

The Constitution of Kenya 2010 entrenches education as a right of every person under Article 43 (1) f. Article 53 (1) b, further recognises that every child has the right to free and compulsory basic education. The function of education therefore has to be fully executed by the government as a constitutional right to Kenyans. Schedule four of the constitution stipulates the different functions to be performed at the different levels of government. Read more...

World environment day 2013: Think. Eat. Save

World Environment Day, organised by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), is marked annually on the June 5.  It is a day set aside to provide the opportunity to reflect on the importance of the environment, as well as creating awareness on the need for environmental conservation.  Read more...

The Anti-Corruption & Economic crimes Act 2003 explained

There has been growing public awareness of the consequences of corruption, its negative and destructive effects on the economy and development, and the need to eliminate it. In seeking to address corruption, Parliament passed the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act 2003 and the Public Officer Ethics Act 2003. These Acts came into effect on 2nd May 2003. It is important to set out the background of past anti-corruption efforts that led to the enactment of the Acts. Read more...

Petition to parliament under articles 37 and 119 of the constitution, petition to parliament (procedure) act and standing orders 219, 223 of the national assembly on the proposal by members of the national assembly and senate to disband the Salaries and Remuneration Commission

To:      National Assembly of Kenya

C/O The Clerk,

Kenya National Assembly

Parliament Buildings

P.O Box 41842 – 00100,

Nairobi, Kenya

WE, the undersigned,

Citizens of Kenya, representing no less than twenty three non-governmental, quasi-governmental organizations and individuals wish to state that it is in the public interest that we, the undersigned civil society organizations, formally lodge this petition concerning the ongoing spirited campaign by the Members of the National Assembly and Senate against the Salaries and Remuneration Commission ( SRC) demanding for a salary increment and threatening the removal of the SRC Commissioners from office. Read more...

Social vetting of aspirants embraced in Nairobi County

ALAC Nairobi conducted an interactive exercise dubbed ‘social vetting’ in Nairobi County. This event targeted aspirants for County Ward Representative. Present in the forum were some of the aspirants, the area chief, Transparency International Kenya staff, members of the Nairobi Good Governance Coalition and officials of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). The exercise took place on February 23, 25 and 26. Read More...

Asserting the role of youth in anti-corruption
Nepotism, favouritism, tribalism, impunity, tyranny and inequality are all forms of corruption sometimes performed by youths. Today I ask my fellow youth, what is our role as the youths in anti corruption initiatives especially in the devolved system of government?

The new generation will bear the brunt of corruption. Therefore the youth should refuse any form of corrupt practices including cronyism, nepotism and tribalism. By utilizing technology and adopting social media platforms the youth can fight corruption. Read More...

Stop this parliamentary tyranny, greed and impunity now!

It is in the public interest that we the undersigned civil society organizations formally make this statement concerning the on-going spirited campaign mounted by the Kenyan MPs against the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (the SRC) demanding for a salary increment and threatening the removal from office of the SRC Commissioners from office.  We are deeply concerned and disappointed that at a time when Kenyans are looking for a break from the past, legislators drawn from both houses of Parliament are hell-bent on increasing their salaries through threats and arm-twisting tactics that go against the constitutional standards of behaviour demanded of both public and state officers.   The timing and show of collective greed is in total disregard of the values and principles of the constitution regarding the management of and the governance over public resources as enshrined in Articles 1, 2, 10, 73, 74, 75, 94, 95, 96, 116, 201, 206 and 230. Read more...

Understanding devolved governance in Kenya: Structures and institutions
The general elections of March 2013 have been like no other that Kenyans have participated. For the very first time, Kenyans have elected Chief executive officers and legislators for the newly formed County governments.

These governments fall within Kenya’s devolved structure. The cardinal principal of devolution is to decentralise administrative, financial and political power to the local level in order to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of government. In effect, devolution is envisioned to provide opportunity for greater citizen participation in local development and permits the government to respond quickly to local needs. Read more...

About 60% Kenyans believe corruption levels have increased or remained the same during President Kibaki’s 10 year rule

Mombasa – 24th February 2013 –A survey by Transparency International Kenya reveals that 58% of Kenyans think corruption levels have either remained the same or increased in the last decade. 14.5 percent of these respondents believe the levels have increased a lot  across that period. Read more...

Audit of Kriegler commission report establishes that majority of the recommendations have been implemented

Nairobi– 26th February 2013 –An audit of the implementation of Independent Review of Elections Commission (IREC)-the Kriegler Commission report by Transparency International Kenya finds that a raft of its recommendations have been implemented. These include constitutional, legal and policy interventions that have been effected to actualize the Kriegler recommendations. Read more...

Learning from the 2011 drought response: The Importance of Integrity and Accountability in Food Assistance Programmes

Over the last decade there has been increased focus on integrity, accountability and transparency in the implementation
of humanitarian aid programmes. Humanitarian organizations have made efforts to strengthen their systems to address
corruption risks, and to enhance accountability mechanisms. However, an analysis of the 2011 drought response conducted by
Transparency International Kenya (TI Kenya) demonstrates that serious challenges and gaps remain.

Read the full article published in "Disaster risk reduction in the drylands of the HORN OF AFRICA- Edition 3" published by REGLAP (Regional Learning and Advocacy Programme for Vulnerable Dryland Communities) on Disaster risk reduction in the drylands of the HORN OF AFRICA.

Using performing arts to pass the anti-corruption message

In a country where corruption is considered too technical an issue for discussion, constructing key messages in a skit /drama is proving very effective.

Use of skits includes more citizens in the national conversation about corruption especially now that the country is headed towards the general elections which have been a catalyst for corruption in this country. Read more...

Will devolution help Kenya’s poor and enhance access to education

Pakistan, October 2012, the shooting of a 14 year old Pakistani girl by the Taliban sparks international outrage. Her name:  Malala. Cause: simply trying to go to school. At the age of 11, she began writing a blog under a pseudonym for the BBC about life under the Taliban in the Swat Valley. After the military ousted the militants in 2009, she began publicly speaking out about the need for girls’ education, something the Taliban strongly opposes. Read more...

Leadership and integrity
Corruption is a vice that needs to be fought by everybody in the society since it leads to poor development and growth in the society. Corruption is an act of doing the opposite of what is expected as in the case of money people hide money which is meant for the society for their own benefits. Read more...

Right to water, translating theory into practice

Internationally, the human right to water implies that water supply must be accessible within, or in the immediate vicinity of, each household, educational institution, workplace and public place. Where this is impossible, a source must be provided close enough to allow people to collect sufficient water – at least the essential minimum of 20 litres of water. The time required to collect these 20 litres should normally not exceed 30 minutes (walking both ways, including waiting times), and the overall distance should be less than one kilometre. The water source should be located in a secure place, taking into account the needs of the most vulnerable groups using it. Threats to the security of women collecting water, for instance, must be prevented. Read more...

Transparency, accountability and participation revolutionise water service provision in Nanyuki
Like many residents of rural areas and informal settlements in Kenya, clean water for domestic use that is easily accessible for residents of Kanyoni village in Nanyuki was a dream.

A scenario replicated among  numerous families in majority of rural Kenya.  Without piped water, buying water from private vendors can eat into a huge portion of their meager household income, causing families to resort to untreated water from wells, rivers, and streams. Many residents of Kanyoni had to make do with water from River Nanyuki, which flows through Mt. Kenya National Park,and they share it with  wildlife. Read more...

Are procurement laws in kenya stringent enough to cut back political interference in public procurement?

The 55billion KAA greenfields terminal tendering debacle

The question as to whether or not the Public Procurement and Disposal Act of 2005 has been able to live up to its objectives to promote integrity and fairness, increase transparency and accountability as well as public confidence in the procurement process is one that is open to debate. While some believe that the Act in its present form desperately yearns for amendment, others are confident of its ability to make corruption in public procurement a thing of the past. The Ksh55billion Greenfields terminal tender, provided a perfect test scenario for the public procurement legal framework. Read more...

Religious leaders in Uasin Gishu County trained on their role in the politics of Kenya
Fifty religious leaders from various religious groups in Uasin Gishu County benefited from a sensitization workshop on the constitution of Kenya (2010)facilitated by Transparency International-Kenya and members of  the North Rift Coalition for Good Governance. Read More...

Why should a Kenyan citizen register as a voter?

Registering as a voter enables one to participate in elections.
A registered voter can chose a leader of his/ her choice.
A registered voter can seek to be elected in any post he/she qualifies for.
A registered voter can safeguard his/her constitutional rights and freedoms.
A registered voter will have a chance to change leaders either by electing new leaders or renewing the mandate of those already in leadership positions.

You can get more information about the electoral process in Kenya by downloading ‘Frequently Asked Questions on the Electoral Process Under the Constitution of Kenya (2010)’

 

 

 

Public participation in governance gives Kenya a chance against graft and poor governance

The legendary Alexander the Great has various theories explaining how he ascended to power. One theory is that he severed an intricately tied knot with his sword. Many great men had tried without success to sever this knot famously known as the ‘Gordian knot’’. Severing the knot with a sword was a simple way of solving a complex and intricate problem. He was highly celebrated and earned himself royalty status. Public participation is the sword through which to sever the Gordian knot of bad governance and perennial corruption. Read More...


33.6 million shillings and counting: The market price of ‘petty’ bribery in Kenya

The market price of corruption in Kenya now stands at just over Ksh. 33.6 million. This is according to the data on I paid a bribe Kenya derived from 819 bribe stories that Kenyans have shared on the website. Read More...

Communities in Wajir set to benefit from climate financing advocacy led by TI-Kenya
Transparency International Kenya will begin the process of climate finance advocacy with organisations working in Wajir to enable the communities in the county to benefit from climate financing.

During a visit to the county and interaction with both the communities and organisations working in the area, TI-Kenya Climate governance programme staff learnt that that despite the fact that there are several organisations implementing climate change adaptation activities particularly rain water harvesting, drilling of boreholes, forage harvesting and storage, only Oxfam is aware  of climate finance. Read More..

The leadership and integrity bill dramatically fails to deliver constitutional requirements

The Leadership and Integrity Bill as proposed by Cabinet is a skeleton Bill if compared to that proposed by the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution.

The Cabinet Bill deleted 2 very many key provisions from the CIC Bill that would ensure adequate promotion of leadership and integrity in Kenya. These provisions that were deleted by Cabinet were Declaration of Assets, Income and Liability of State officers and Certificate of Compliance with Chapter Six for persons seeking election or appointment to State office.As a result the Cabinet Bill wholly and completely fails in delivery of leadership and integrity. The proposed Bill is the boldest attempt by the Executive to water down provisions of Chapter Six of the Constitution and seeks to insulate State officers from stringent accountability requirements that the Constitution demands for all who hold high office. Read More...

The Integrated Public Complaints Referral Mechanism Pilot Launched in Kisumu

SEMA!  Piga Ripoti!!

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission, Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Administrative Justice, National Anti-Corruption Campaign Steering Committee and Transparency International-Kenya, have now partnered to bring your Complaints Referral Centre near you! A pilot phase will be carried out in Kisumu for three months between August to October 2012. Read More...

Corruption as a campaign issue

It is election season once again. Politicians know the issues that deeply concern us and will be harping on them to touch our hearts and get our votes. One of the long running concerns of Kenyans is the runaway corruption in our public processes. In 2002, corruption was a key campaign issue. Already it is an issue on the lips of many politicians indicating that the coming general elections will be no different. But considering the lessons of the last ten years, should we take mere promises to eradicate graft? What must we do to avoid being taken for a ride by folks who are either deeply steeped in graft or are the greatest and loudest defenders of those suspected of looting public coffers? Read More...

Miguna’s ‘peeling back the mask’ exposes the need for freedom of information law in Kenya

The whirlwind created by Miguna’s book will be with us for some time. This being an election season, politicians opposed to the Prime Minister will busy themselves scouring the pages to seek for political arsenal. Those sympathetic to him will of course seek for ways of moderating the damage. Read More...

Climate Governance: The missing link in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts

Africa has contributed the least to the problem of climate change yet it faces some of the most severe impacts. According to Kenya’s Ministry of Environment, the evidence of climate change in the country is unmistakable. Temperatures have risen throughout the country. Rainfall has become irregular and unpredictable, and when it rains, the downpour is more intense and destructive. Extreme and harsh weather is now a norm in Kenya. Read More...

Immediate reforms needed to change the image of Kenya Police

The Kenya Police has been ranked by Transparency International-Kenya as the most bribery prone institution in Kenya yet again. It is topping the annual bribery index for the tenth year in a row. According to the 2011 East African Bribery Index, there was a 67% chance that you would be expected to pay a bribe every time you interacted with the police. This means that out of every ten interactions with the police, seven will be tainted with bribery demands. Sampled Kenyans reported that more than a quarter of all petty bribes in the last twelve months were paid to the police. Read More...

Time to account for the drought emergency response

Kenya and other countries in Eastern Africa experienced one of the worst droughts in the last decades in 2011. A total of 12 million people in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Somalia have been relying on humanitarian assistance programmes from governments and aid organisations for their survival.Read More

The New Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission: An analysis of its functions and administration

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Bill was passed into law on 27^th August 2011. It took effect on 5^th September 2011 following the assent by President Mwai Kibaki. The Act fundamentally alters the legal institutional framework of anti-corruption efforts. The Act was developed in pursuance of the constitutional provisions of Article 79 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 which directs Parliament to enact legislation to facilitate the establishment of an independent Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. Read More...

The East African Bribery Index 2011: Burundi leads the pack as Kenya records improvement

East African Bribery Index (EABI) is a governance tool applied across five regional countries to measure prevalence of bribery as experienced by the respondents while seeking services in the public and private sectors. Read More...

Drought and Famine in the Horn of Africa: the challenge of accountability and integrity in the Humanitarian Aid sector

The Horn of Africa is facing its worst drought in 60 years, with an estimated number of 12 millions people in urgent need of food assistance in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Somalia. In Kenya alone, the international community alongside the Government and Kenyan citizens are mobilising themselves to bridge the funding gap of over 51 millions dollars[1] to ensure the availability of food to vulnerable population until the end of the year. The needs are colossal and likely to result in a massive influx of relief aid and food commodities to drought affected areas. Read More...

Current hunger crisis is a symptom of drought in our governance

The spirit of charity and nationhood has coloured the country in the last month thanks to the Kenyans for Kenya campaign. The initiative formed by corporate Kenya in July 2011 to rescue Kenyans from acute starvation and near-death in July 2011, raised a record Kshs 500 million within a week, proving just how patriotic and giving the common mwananchi can be. This is not the first time that Kenyans are responding to emergency interventions by the corporate sector and the Red Cross Society, and it will not be the last time if the government does not put the Special Programmes ministry in order. Read More...

The state of New Jersey has come calling for the former Kenya Power and Lighting Company  Managing Director James Gichuru and former Energy Minister and currently Nambale MP Chris Okemo. The two are wanted to answer to charges of money laundering. The two have moved to the high court to fight the charges while political forces have been mobilised to add impetus to efforts to oppose extradition. Read More...

Best practices for Kenya from News of the World shutdown

Governance lessons from Kenya to South Sudan

Empowerment through participation: Reporting complaints improves water governance in Mombasa

ALAC assists PEV victim get justice