Naming and shaming won’t end corruption

The latest corruption survey has once again awarded the police the dubious top position in the list of shame. Yet that is not surprising. It merely restates what is commonplace and widely elaborated in previous surveys. What is surprising is that the position never changes despite aggressive and extensively publicised initiatives to redeem the service and give it a new sheen.

However, the saving grace is that cases have decreased to 47.5 per cent against the previous 64.7 per cent, meaning there are fewer occurrences compared to the past. But corruption is not quantifiable; it’s an open-shut case. Once found culpable, the story is done and other explanations are immaterial.

Since he took over as Interior minister, Dr Fred Matiang’i has declared an unequivocal crusade to rid the police of corruption and other vices. Efforts have even been made at the symbolic level to rebrand the service and even introduce a new uniform to signal transition to a new order.

But there is little to report back on. The old order prevails. Not when police officers distinguish themselves as extortionists and bribe takers and as well, act brutally as recently witnessed when some four officers descended on a hapless student during riots at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

Still, there are other equally corrupt ministries and departments. The Health ministry was second while Agriculture came third in the report launched this week by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. Also named are the departments of Lands, Transport and Infrastructure, Education, Devolution, National Treasury and Energy.

Naming and shaming the corrupt is the first step in fighting graft. But it is not enough. EACC must seek progressive and effective measures. What it started last year — arresting and arraigning corruption suspect — remains the most effective. But it must be backed with foolproof evidence and an independent Judiciary. Experience from many previous cases shows that merely arresting and charging people without strong evidence is in vain. Matters are worsened with a pliable and lethargic Judiciary that takes ages to conclude cases.

EACC has sought legal reforms to allow it to prosecute corruption cases, to no avail. Not that it is the best way to deal with graft. Legal instruments are needed, including, making it mandatory for public officers accused of corruption to exit office. Still the EACC can execute its mandate by strengthening its investigative capacity to provide evidence that is capable of securing court convictions.