Corruption; a thorn in the flesh in Kenya’s economy, says KEPSA

The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) has warned of the rising case of graft in various sectors saying the vice is sending wrong signals to business owners in Kenya.

KEPSA was responding to the recent released economic survey and performance which the lobby said was a general improvement in the trading environment despite the high levels of corruption.

The umbrella body identified it as the single greatest obstacle to economic social development and wants the government to urgently address what its members feel are high levels of corruption which are impeding growth of their legitimate businesses.

“The private sector is the supply-side of most corruption in Kenya, mostly through public procurement, which accounts for 70 per cent of corruption in the public sector,” said Carole Kariuki, KEPSA’s chief executive.

Kariuki says that the extent of the devastating effects of corruption on Kenya’s economic development is huge such that no development plan has missed it in the top priority challenges to be addressed.

KEPSA now wants the government to intervene and act fast for the trading environment to be improved, adding that it will push for a number of initiatives to contain the growing incidences of graft in the country which include adoption of code of ethics for all its members.

The lobby says that it is pushing for a number of initiatives to contain the growing incidences of graft in the country which include adoption of code of ethics for all its members.

Other challenges include push for the establishment of an economic crimes/corruption division at the high court to hasten prosecution of corruption cases, and the gazettement of a master item list of prices for common used goods and services in the public sector to curb procurement at inflated prices.

KEPSA has adopted three initiatives under its governance agenda seeking to promote ethics and integrity within the body of private sector in Kenya and within the public sector.

“We are encouraging all leaders from among the public sector service, intellectuals, local and foreign businesses and development partners to join KEPSA in promoting ethics and integrity in Kenya” said Kariuki.