Nairobi — THE JUST RELEASED GLOBAL CORRUPTION Perceptions Index is a clear signal for countries from the East African region to take the war against corruption more seriously if the regional trade bloc is to thrive.

Virtually all the countries have performed poorly with the exception of Tanzania, which was rated 94th out of the 180 countries surveyed.

The remaining countries, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda are grouped among the 40 per cent whose attempts to rein in graft have been found seriously wanting.

Kenya, the economic powerhouse of the region, is rated among those countries where thriving corruption remains a major drain on resources sorely needed for education, health and infrastructure. It is also a major drawback to the cross-border movement of people and goods across the countries of the EAC.

What the region needs now is strong political will and a regional approach to the problem, given that there is a correlation between corruption and poverty, whose reduction remains the key objective of the East African Community.

Other African countries that have made progress in the war against corruption, such as Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa and Swaziland, have proved that genuine political will and well-targeted reform can lower levels of corruption significantly.

Kenya, for instance, has often blamed the West for allowing looters to operate secret bank accounts in its jurisdictions, but the answer lies in putting in place, committed and capable judiciaries bold enough to request assistance in the recovery of stolen assets from abroad.

Unfortunately, most countries in the region depend on aid money to strengthen their governance and anti-corruption institutions, meaning that in the long run the end up with legislation that is handed down by the West and does not take into account the local cultural and legal environment.