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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

US to help Kenya trace stolen billions

Business

By The Standard Business | Nov 08, 2010

By Edwin Cheserek

US ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger says his government would assist Kenya trace billions of shillings stolen from taxpayers and hidden in foreign accounts.
Speaking on Sunday in North Rift, Ranneberger said US would work closely with Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (Kacc) to ensure assets abroad that were acquired through corrupt means are back in government’s custody.
The envoy was speaking at Rurigi Secondary School in Burnt Forest accompanied by area MP Margaret Kamar during a tour to inspect the school that was rehabilitated by the US after it was razed down at the height of post-election violence.
The school was closed for one year before it was re-built by the US army during the programme dubbed Operation Rudi Nyumbani.
US joins the British government in a renewed bid by PLO Lumumba led-Kacc to have looted public resources returned.
Last week, British High Commissioner to Kenya Rob Macaire said his government was aware of properties in UK believed to have been illegally acquired and promised to help trace and return them.
Ranneberger said US has expressed the need to support the renewed fight against corruption in the wake of the new constitution.
“We know that Kenya has tremendous potential to end graft and to rid the country of the vice, we must support it,” said Ranneberger.
The US, he said, was watching keenly how the country exposes the many incidences of corruption that were perpetuated in past regimes and how it would deal with according to the new news.
He said with the new constitution in place, the country was better placed in the war on the vice by building independent institutions to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators.
At the same time, he advised Kenyans to elect leaders who would unite the people and champion the course of the country.
“Credible leaders should be elected because power is vested on the new constitution. The right personalities should be chosen to accelerate change,” he said.