According to a top Kenyan prosecutor, Corrupt judges are hampering the anti-graft drive in Kenya, undermining President Uhuru Kenyatta’s attempt to restore public trust in the government, national security and the economy.
And the AU High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa has echoed the prosecutors words and accused the Kenyan Judiciary of becoming an impediment to the war against corruption.
Mr Odinga accused the Judiciary of failing to fully support the Kenyan government in the war against corruption and termed the vice as the major contributor to inequality in the country.
“It’s unfortunate that the Judiciary has not been helping Kenya as a country to fight corruption in our systems. We have seen people being arrested and taken to court where evidence is presented but our courts end up releasing these people on bail,” he said.
While speaking at the University of Nairobi during a public lecture on bridging the inequality gaps in East Africa sponsored by Ford Foundation, Raila faulted the Judiciary over the manner in which they were releasing graft suspects on bail.
He further said that Kenya should take the cue from the developed world where the corrupt are dealt with fearlessly.
Mr Odinga challenged universities to empower the youth with skills that will enable them to stand out.
He was speaking at the University of Nairobi where Ford Foundation president Darren Walker gave a public lecture on “Bridging the Inequality Gap in East Africa”.
In his lecture, Mr Walker said one of the challenges of democracy is the growing inequality in Africa, and called for civil society collaboration with the government to ensure that the youth, the disabled and the less fortunate are not left out in terms of development.
“Societies with growing inequalities are societies with growing hopelessness, the greatest danger to democracy and a society is hopelessness,” he said
Every year, corruption in East Africa’s biggest economy drains billions of dollars from the state in rackets involving government officials and businesspeople – known as “tenderpreneurs” for their success in winning public contracts.
Kenyatta promised to stop the rot when he came to power in 2013 but critics say he has been slow to go after top officials and there have been no high-profile convictions since then.
New Chief Public Prosecutor Noordin Mohamed Haji, a former deputy head of national intelligence, is trying to change that.
Haji said shortcomings in the judicial system, including bribable judges and prosecutors, could undermine even the strongest of cases.
“If you have judicial officers who have been compromised and they rule against you, the argument will be the case was weak,” he told Reuters, noting that one of his own prosecutors was arrested a month ago on bribery allegations. “We cannot bury our heads in the sand,” he said.