Kenya’s top anti-corruption official resigned on Monday amid mounting international criticism of the government’s failure to take a firm line against high-level corruption.
In a statement, John Githongo gave no reason for his decision, saying only he ”was no longer able to continue serving the government of Kenya”.
Githongo, the first person to serve as the country’s permanent secretary for ethics and governance, could not be reached for further comment.
Kenyan analysts say he was frustrated by President Mwai Kibaki’s government’s lack of action against corruption.
The resignation is a further damaging blow to the Kenyan government, coming a week after the British High Commissioner to Kenya, Edward Clay, denounced ”massive looting” of public funds. Kenya is consistently ranked among the world’s most corrupt countries.
”This resignation is significant and long overdue,” Peter Kagwanja of the International Crisis Group said.
”The image of the Kibaki government is badly dented. Githongo was seen as the best person to root out corruption. His exit signifies the government’s abject failure to do so.”
Kagwanja, a Kenyan academic, alleged that high-level corruption had intensified since Kibaki took over from Daniel arap Moi in 2002.
He said all Kenyans of character had to speak out, adding that there was mounting pressure on Kenya’s Nobel peace prizewinner Wangari Mathai, the deputy environment minister, to denounce corruption.
Kibaki has not said whether he will accept the minister’s resignation.
Githongo, a former journalist, was director of the Kenyan chapter of Transparency International before he was appointed to his post in January 2003 in one of Kibaki’s first tangible moves to make good on anti-corruption pledges that helped his government to take power in December 2002.
Unchecked fraud characterised the 24-year rule of the government of Moi and led international donors to suspend aid for three years.
Donors only resumed lending in November 2003, after Kibaki put several reforms into place to root out corruption.
But recently, donors have complained of high-level corruption in the Kibaki government. They say Kenya once again risks losing vital international aid. – Guardian Unlimited Â