NAIROBI, Kenya- In a bid to strengthen its fight against corruption, the Kenyan government has officially requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to conduct a comprehensive review of the country’s governance and corruption issues.
This move marks a significant escalation in Kenya’s ongoing battle to eliminate systemic corruption that has long plagued its economy and hurt the livelihoods of its citizens.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who also serves as the cabinet secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, announced that the IMF will conduct a corruption and governance diagnosis across all ministries and government institutions.
This diagnosis is aimed at identifying the root causes of corruption and devising strategies to combat them effectively.
Mudavadi stressed that the fight against corruption has taken far too long and emphasized the need to dig deeper into where corruption is “domiciled” within the government.
“We need to take the fight on corruption a notch higher and cast away the spirit of corruption,” Mudavadi said in Nairobi, highlighting the government’s resolve to tackle the issue head-on.
He warned that government officers who fail to fully engage in the IMF-led exercise will face scrutiny.
This announcement comes at a time when public frustration with the government’s handling of corruption has reached new heights.
President William Ruto, facing pressure from young protesters demanding accountability, pledged in July to propose legal reforms to close the loopholes that allow corruption to persist.
His proposed changes will target corrupt officials, opulent displays of wealth, and wasteful government spending, all of which have come under intense public scrutiny amid the ongoing high cost of living.
Kenya’s partnership with the IMF is part of a broader effort to stabilize the country’s economy while addressing governance issues.
In September, the IMF urged the Kenyan government to intensify its fight against corruption and improve its handling of budgetary challenges following a series of tax reforms that sparked protests earlier in the year.
The reforms had been part of a plan to raise additional funds for Kenya’s 31 billion-dollar budget for the financial year 2024/2025, but mass protests forced the government to withdraw these plans.
The IMF’s review is expected to assess not only corruption but also overall governance, ensuring that Kenya stays on track with its economic reforms.
