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Kenya: Anti-Graft Law Timely
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The Nation (Nairobi)
EDITORIAL
10 May 2008
Posted to the web 12 May 2008
At last the Government has demonstrated its commitment to the fight against grand corruption and other illegal activities by launching the Witness Protection Act this week.
The pillar of the new law is to insulate whistle blowers against any harm, legal or physical. Its underlying principle is that there are many people willing to volunteer information about criminal acts, be they corruption in Government or other crimes, but they cannot do so because the fear for their safety.
A look at Kenya's history is replete with cases of grand corruption and other excesses that went unreported as potential witnesses shied off to keep out of the harm's way.
The heroic deed of David Sadera Munyakei, who raised the alarm bells about the Goldenberg scandal of the early 1992, though celebrated, is an unfortunate footnote in the country's history because he ended suffering so much and dying miserably for a good cause. Rather than inspire and encourage others, Mr Munyakei's experience instils fear and negates every attempt towards public policing.
This is why the launch of the Witness Protection Act marks a major milestone in the war against graft and other forms of wrong-doing. A society that punishes public watchdogs cannot succeed. Instead, it gives rise to patron-client state with deplorable consequences.
History, however, demonstrates that having a law and policy in place is one thing, but actualising them is another. This is the challenge Attorney General Wako and his team at the State Law office must address. A lot of financial and other resources will be required to implement the new law.
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For example, relocating the whistle blowers to safe sanctuaries abroad and keeping them there requires so much money and logistical support. The Government must be ready to live to its promise by providing resources required to implement the law.
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