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The government’s efforts to recover money and assets obtained through corruption or fraud are beginning to bear fruit. Reports from the Attorney-General indicate that the government has recovered some Sh3 billion in the past two years, which, though insignificant, considering the huge sums stolen and costs involved in the exercise, is an indication that the war is taking shape. But the government must intensify the campaign and recover all the stolen money and assets.
Information about the whereabouts of the stolen funds is available. What has been lacking is the will and urgency to confront those who looted from the public and take back the wealth they acquired illegally. More than that, those individuals must be punished to serve as a deterrent to others.
Right from the Goldenberg scandal of the 1990s through to the Anglo Leasing of the early 2000s to the latest, such as the National Youth Service I and II, the country has jumped from one mega scandal to another. Unfortunately, little has been done to deal with the perpetrators. At one point under the Kibaki administration, the government commissioned a UK consultancy, Kroll Associates, to investigate the whereabouts of the monies stolen, or proceeds of corruption, from Kenya and a report was duly prepared that graphically indicated where the cash was stashed. But no action was taken to bring it back.
In recent years, the government has signed repatriation deals with various European countries to allow for tracking and returning of cash or proceeds of corruption back to Kenya. Perhaps, this is what has partly helped in the recoveries being reported.
Importantly, the institutions, including the Assets Recovery Agency, that are tasked with the tracking of the loot, must act hard and fast to bring back all those public resources.
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