It is business as usual, as Kenya performs dismally in the global Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2014 released last month by the Transparency International movement.
Kenya scored 25 on a scale of zero to 100 (with zero perceived to be highly corrupt, and 100 very clean), down two points from last year’s score of 27. It now sits at position 145out of 174 countries and territories ranked in the 20th edition of the CPI.
The CPI measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption in countries and territories worldwide and is based on expert opinion.
More than two thirds of the 175 countries in the 2014 CPI score below 50. Denmark tops the list in 2014 with a score of 92 while North Korea and Somalia share last place, scoring just eight. Also at the tail-end are Iraq (16), South Sudan (16), Afghanistan (12), and Sudan (11). The biggest declines were registered in in Turkey (-5), Angola, China, Malawi and Rwanda (all -4). The biggest improvers were Côte d´Ivoire, Egypt, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (+5), Afghanistan, Jordan, Mali and Swaziland (+4).
Among the East Africa Community (EAC) countries, Rwanda was once again the top performer with a score of 49 at position 55 globally; its score has however dropped from 53 in 2013. Tanzania was second with a score of 31 at position 119, Uganda followed at 142 with a score of 26 then Kenya. Burundi was at the bottom of the pack with a score of 20 at number 159. All the EAC countries dropped in score except Uganda whose score remained unchanged.
The highest scoring country in Sub Saharan Africa was Botswana with a score of 63 followed by Cape Verde (57) and Seychelles (55). Kenya is ranked 35th in Sub Saharan Africa.
“Kenya’s decline in the Corruption Perceptions’ Index calls to question the reforms that have been instituted in various sectors since the adoption of the Constitution of Kenya 2010. An audit of the reform process is needed to isolate areas of weakness that continue to provide fertile ground for corruption,” said Samuel Kimeu, the Executive Director Transparency International Kenya.
“Inaction or slow action on corruption cases, particularly big cases involving high ranking officials may have contributed to a high perception of corruption in the country. Little success has been recorded in the investigation and prosecution of grand corruption cases to date. During the year, controversial payments to one of the Anglo Leasing companies may have heightened this perception further. The government should deepen and expedite efforts to put cases like Anglo Leasing, Goldenberg and others to rest.”
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