Friday, September 07, 2007

Kenyan Corruption

Socialist Banner notes the self-aggrandisement of the politicians in Kenya to award themselves a financial bonus . They have voted to award themselves a $22,000 bonus each at the end of their five-year term . Kenya's 222 MPs already earn more than $10,000 a month in salaries and expenses, much of which is tax-free, in a country where most people live on less than $1 a day. To rub salt into the wound these MPs had the gall to have originally wanted a bonus of $98,000 each but the finance minister declined to cooperate .

We are , of course , not surprised since thay are after all primary representatives of the master class and naturally each MP aspires to join the ranks of their capitalist masters .

While looking out for their own mercenary futures , the MPs also watched their backs and barred the investigation of corruption cases which occurred before 2004.

The move to pardon corruption cases which happened before 2004 effectively stops any investigations or attempts to recover funds looted in the multi-million dollar Goldenberg and Anglo-Leasing scandals.

Recently a report was found to have been suppressed that alleged that £1 billion was corruptly syphoned off by family and friends of the previous Moi government . The 110-page report by international risk consultants Kroll details assets still allegedly owned by the Moi family and their entourage in 28 countries, including hotels and residences in South Africa and the United States, a 10,000-hectare ranch in Australia, three hotels in London, a £4 million house in Surrey, and a £2 million penthouse flat in Knightsbridge. It claims the Moi family laundered $400 million through a complex web of accounts in Kenya, Geneva and Frankfurt. It also alleged that they and a handful of associates own a bank in Belgium that was used to launder money from Kenya and uncovered a web of secret bank accounts, shell companies and dummy trusts registered in tax havens, including the Cayman Islands. Moi’s sons, Philip and Gideon, were reported to be worth £384m and £550m respectively.

Unless the Kenyan people join together with the peoples of all nations and take control of their own destinies , we fear that one discreditable elite will only be replaced by another as equally disreputable bunch of self-serving parliamentary parasites.

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