Kenya graft probes 'undermined'

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Kenya's Anti-Corruption Commission says last week's vote by MPs to amend the economic crimes law was aimed at frustrating the commission's work.

KACC Chairman Justice Aaron Ringera urged President Mwai Kibaki - who came to power on promises to fight corruption - to reject the bill.

The effect of the amendments would be to prevent the KACC from prosecuting any offence committed before 2003.

Justice Minister Martha Karua hinted presidential assent may be withheld.

Mr Ringera has published a nine-page defence of the allegations made against the KACC by the MPs seeking to curb its powers.

He told a news conference in Nairobi that many saw the amendments as a blatant weakening of the KACC "in favour of corruption cartels and networks".

There had been complaints that of the more than 3,700 reports of alleged corruption since it was established in 2003, the KACC had only obtained about 30 successful convictions - none of them "big fish".

Justice Ringera argues that it was parliament that prevented the prosecution of cabinet ministers and other senior officials, and that the very existence of the KACC over the past four years has been an effective deterrent to what he called "grand corruption".

He pointed to more than 250 cases still in the judicial process and noted that the KACC does not have the powers to "prosecute, convict and jail".

HAVE YOUR SAY By passing the law, the MPs have confirmed to many that they are corrupt and have loads of things to hide Tony Njenga, Dublin <a class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=7332&edition=2&ttl=20070913142857">Send us your comments</a>

'Personal interest'

The man who proposed the amendment, Paul Muite, the MP for Safina, was accused in parliament by Justice Minister Martha Karua of "having a personal interest" in curbing the powers of the KACC.

She said it was no surprise that legislators with links to corruption cases would seek to protect themselves in an election year.

Mr Muite represented former cabinet minister Chris Murungaru, who lost his job after allegations of involvement in the Anglo Leasing corruption scandal, and was himself accused of having taken a payoff: an accusation that he has denied.

Martha Karua has gone on record as saying the bill is "not yet law" and the government remains committed to winning the war against graft.

President Kibaki has yet to comment.