The U.S. trade office points to corruption of Kenyan officials

The U.S. trade office said Kenyan officials have been systematically asking bribes from U.S. investors, who complained of lack of transparency and excessive complexities and inefficiencies in the procurement process for contracts.

Corruption will thwart foreign investors in Kenya where only those who pay a bribe manage to invest, said the U.S. trade office in its 2024 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers.

Cleophas Malala, secretary general of Kenya’s ruling party, told VOA that Kenya’s procurement and payment system has been a problem but said President William Ruto and the government are working to solve the problem.

According to a survey by Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the country’s interior, health, and transport ministries are the most corrupt. The survey showed that the size of the average bribe doubled in 2023.

Last year, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission said the lack of transparency, accountability and public participation in some government projects creates a breeding ground for corruption.