By Mumbi Mutoko
Auditor General Nancy Gathungu seems to have borrowed from the popular quote from Mokokoma Mokhonoan: “Stolen oranges also have Vitamin C. Likewise, a stolen salmon, too, has omega-3 fatty acids.”
At the launch of Transparency International Kenya’s (TI) new Strategic Plan 2022-2028 last week, Ms Gathungu made a curious appeal, exhorting state officers who steal from public coffers to invest the monies at home.
“Perhaps we should start a campaign that says if you steal it and you can get away with it, invest it in the country where it is stolen. If you steal it from Kenyans, invest it in Kenya. It sounds very strange, but perhaps we should see development in our country and then later ask, ‘Where did you get it from’?” Ms Gathungu said.
“If there was no safe space to hide, stash or invest and thereby giving legitimacy for laundry services to illicit financial flows, where would this illegally acquired and stolen money be kept?”
The Auditor General argued that it made much more financial sense for the culprits to reinvest the funds they have stolen from the public back into the economy than stashing the billions in offshore accounts. She stated that this would help spur development.
The Auditor General said it would be wise for the government to start a campaign that will encourage the culprits in question to invest in various sectors to spur development in the country.
Ms Gathungu further stated that Auditor Generals from the African continent have decided to carry out joint and coordinated audits within the continent to fight rampant graft in Africa. She acknowledged that corruption had adversely affected Kenya and that crucial measures must be implemented to curb this.
“Corruption and lack of accountability have negatively affected our progress towards attaining our national development plan and Kenya’s blueprint on development, Vision 2030, and more so the prioritized critical areas that speak to the very lives and livelihoods of the citizens.”
In its latest report, Transparency International indicated that Kenya slightly improved in the global corruption index. Kenya was ranked 123 out of 180 countries and territories assessed with a score of 32 out of 100, slightly improving from 30 points in 2021. TI indicated that a score below 50 shows severe public sector corruption.
However, this is still a lousy ranking for Kenya. The World Bank estimates that Kenya’s ruling elite have stashed $2.6 billion of stolen public funds abroad. An independent study conducted by researchers from various institutions, including one from the World Bank dubbed “Elite Capture of Foreign Aid: Evidence from Offshore Bank Accounts,” and published exposed billions of dollars that the elite in Kenya has stashed in offshore accounts.
However, what raised questions was the source of the money, but local authorities have had a hard time accessing those accounts. Kenya’s political class from 1990-2010 was accused of receiving kickbacks from state agencies or even foreigners who intended to do business within the country.
The report showed that Sh136.2 billion was in bank sanctuaries that are secretive and enjoy minimal regulation, furnishing them with an immaculate cover to disguise the money trail. Another Sh190.35 billion was found to be stashed in regulated bank accounts.
Like many other developing nations, Kenya has seen political elite corruption, which has led to the theft of public resources for private benefit. It is astounding how widespread this corruption is; according to estimates, Kenya loses more than $6 billion annually.
Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, and the United Arab Emirates are some nations mentioned as tax havens for the Kenyan political elite. It’s crucial to remember that not all offshore accounts are utilized for illicit activities. (
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