A Review of Effectiveness of Anti-Corruption Strategies and Institutions in Kenya

Abstract

It is often stated that the fight against corruption in Kenya does not need strong men; rather, the onslaught against pilferage and plundering of public resources requires strong institutions. Unfortunately, present efforts to combat corruption in Kenya have yielded a mixed bag of results, both negative and positive. Ostensibly, extant discourses indicate that anti-corruption institutions in Kenya and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission in particular have been unable to achieve a single high-profile conviction. Towards this, the debate on the effectiveness of anti-corruption strategies and the institution in the country is interminable. It is, therefore, the view of this study that institutions in Kenya face systemic and endemic snugs that are perhaps preventing them from achieving their institutional duty of custodianship of good practice. Results from this conceptual review indicate that although Kenya has one of the most progressive legislative and institutional frameworks on anti-corruption, the Corruption Perception Index has it that Kenya still experiences high corruption, with a score of 3 out of 10, or a ranking of position 126 out of 180 countries. Although the study noted political interference, particularly from the executive, it underscores that anti-corruption institutions do not have adequate human and financial resources, which are thought to hinder their capacity to investigate and prosecute corrupt individuals. It is recommended that Kenya should strengthen legal safeguards, empower whistleblowers, implement various anti-corruption strategies, and entrench a culture of integrity. The study recommends that the anti-corruption institutions should be allocated sufficient resources, both human and financial, so that they carry out their duties independently. The study further recommends that the future of anti-corruption actions depends on incorporating civil society organizations, the media, and international partners into the campaign against the misappropriation of public funds, as these entities play peripheral, yet pivotal roles in oversight, advocating for reforms, and enhancing public awareness. Top of Form Over and above, the study notes the criticality of freeing independent institutions from the control of the executive so that they can work autonomously.