Kenya's problems rooted in government corruption

For more than three decades, one party has ruled the East African nation of Kenya and the results have not been good. More than 50 percent of the country's 29 million people live below the poverty line, and despite hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, the nation's infrastructure is in deplorable condition, schools are crumbling (physically and academically) and government corruption at every level is a way of live.
Against this backdrop of misery, Kenyan voters went to the polls on Friday and rejected the Kenya African National Union -- KANU -- and its candidate for president, Uhuru Kenyatta. They chose, instead, the National Rainbow Coalition and its standard-bearer, Mwai Kibaki. The coalition represents allied opposition groups.
The fact that Kibaki had been a part of KANU and had served as vice president under retiring President Daniel arap Moi seemed not to matter to the voters. By repudiating Moi and abandoning the ruling party, Kibaki established himself as the official voice of the opposition. His presidential campaign was built on a promise to end the rampant corruption, poverty and the iron-fisted rule of government that have plagued what was once Africa's wealthiest countries.
Kenya won independence from Britain in 1963 and Jomo Kenyatta, a leader in the struggle for independence, became its first president as the founder of KANU. Kenyatta, whose son ran unsuccessfully last week, died 24 years ago and Moi took over the reins of power. He inherited a country that was still the envy of many other sub-Saharan nations, but it didn't take him long to dismantle democracy and consolidate authority.
Today, Kenya has all but collapsed economically. And while those in power enriched themselves, the people suffered.
Transparent leadership
"I am inheriting a country which has been badly ravaged by years of misrule and ineptitude," Kibaki said Monday after he was sworn into office. "There has been a wide disconnect between the people and government. ... You have asked me to lead this nation out of the present wilderness and malaise on to the promised land, and I shall do so. I offer a responsive, transparent and innovative leadership."
Transparency is essential for winning the trust and support of not only the Kenyan people but the world community. After all, the International Monetary Fund has a huge financial stake in the country.
As a first step toward restoring full democracy, Kibaki should resurrect the "dream team" that former President Moi recruited from the private sector to clean up Kenya's civil service and prepare state-owned companies for privatization. Last April, the team's leader, Richard Leakey, son of the renowned paleontologist, and three other reform-minded technocrats abruptly departed. In addition, the president of Kenya's Central Bank was replaced, giving rise to speculation that Moi wasn't willing to let outsiders dig too deeply into the government's affairs.
Kibaki should also immediately convene an independent commission, made of up representatives of the United Nations and other international organizations, to investigate how the $340 million released last year by the IMF has been spent.
In particular, the commission should delve into the finances of former President Moi and his close associates.
For too long, African leaders have stolen the wealth of their nations but have avoided prosecution.