COVID-19 Funds: Kenya’s Religious Leaders Say “uncontrolled corruption witnessed immoral”

The signatories to the collective statement include representatives of the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK), Hindu Council of Kenya (HCK), Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), and the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK).

Others are the Organization of African Instituted Churches (AIC), the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA), Shia Asna Ashri Jamaat, and the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM).

The concerns of Kenya’s religious leaders come days after an August 16 expose by a Kenyan investigative journalist dubbed “COVID-19 millionaires” attempted to demonstrate alleged corruption at the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency’s (KEMSA) involving the procurement of COVID-19 items.

Following the revelations, two major KEMSA donors reportedly threatened to withdraw their COVID-19 funding estimated to be worth US$4 billion.

“It is inconceivable for us that a Kenyan can sit and plot how to steal money meant to save the lives of Kenyans!!,” the religious leaders representing eight religious bodies including the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) say in their August 26 statement.

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“The reports of corruption touching on the COVID-19 funds are a condemnation of the Executive and Parliament, who have a sworn duty to protect the lives and resources of Kenyans,” they say and add, “We remind you that every time you abet corruption by failing to exercise your oversight mandate, you are breaking your oath of office.”

The faith leaders observe that corruption in Kenya is perpetuated by “bureaucratically instigated opacity in public finance,” which is manifested in, for instance, the lack of details on expenditure information provided to Parliament as well as the lack of transparency in procurement. 

Other aspects contributing to corruption include the lack of a comprehensive information portal accessible to the public on COVID-19 funds, and the lack of information on acquisition and distribution of COVID-19 related materials. 

As a way forward, Kenya’s religious leaders call on the country’s President, Uhuru Kenyatta to order the relevant ministries and departments to provide to the public details of all funds received through taxation, donations, grants, and loans as COVID-19 pandemic response. 

They also want the relevant ministries and departments to publish the names of companies and beneficiaries of COVID-19 procurement processes.

The religious leaders want the relevant agencies to “immediately institute prosecution of all persons who are implicated in the misappropriation of COVID-19 pandemic response funds.”

“We call upon all the Members of Parliament to end their perpetual partisan and ethno-centric bickering and execute their constitutional mandate of oversighting national revenue and its expenditure,” they say and add, “For once, rise up and protect the lives and interests of Kenyans, as is required of you by Article 94 (4) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.”

While addressing the nation on Wednesday, August 26, President Kenyatta ordered the investigative agencies to conclude their probe into the KEMSA saga within 21 days.

“All persons found culpable should be brought to book notwithstanding their public office or political and social status,” President Kenyatta said August 26.