Free Republic

Kenya's government, which was elected on a pledge to fight corruption, has been hit by the resignation of its chief anti-corruption official John Githongo this week. Donor countries have threatened to suspend aid if they cannot be sure that their money will be well spent. Kenya's leaders are not the only ones to find that eradicating corrupt practices is a tall order. Sceptics fear that the UK-led move to increase aid to Africa and forgive their debts will only make more money available to corrupt elites. Western governments are increasingly linking aid to good governance, and in particular to efforts...

THE United States yesterday announced it was suspending its funding of Kenya’s anti- corruption measures, amid a mounting sleaze crisis in the country.The British government said it was also reviewing contributions, following the resignation of Kenya’s leading anti-corruption official. The announcement is the latest setback for the government of Mwai Kibaki as he attempts to roll back 24 years of rampant sleaze under the former regime of Daniel Arap Moi. His most senior corruption fighter, John Githongo, resigned on Monday amid mounting international criticism that Kenya was dragging its feet on reform. Yesterday, William Bellamy, the US ambassador to Kenya,...