Take Trump’s warning on corruption seriously

Audio By Vocalize

The United States government has once again complained about rampant corruption in Kenya. In its new report on trade, the Trump administration accuses the Kenyan government of entrenched corruption in awarding lucrative tenders.

While the report does not say anything that the majority of the citizens do not already know, it points to the damage that corruption is doing to the country’s ties with its trade and development partners.

The US says its companies have found it hard to secure contracts in Kenya because of the graft prevailing in the Kenyan Kwanza government, with the projects going to those who are willing to give bribes or look the other way when unethical processes are used in procurement.

Other global organisations, such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), have often cited corruption as a major impediment to the country’s growth. In its recent meetings with Kenya’s officials regarding extension of credit facilities, the IMF has particularly insisted that the government must take measures to curb the widespread graft in public agencies before any money is released. It is telling that the government has so far failed to secure any significant funding from the IMF since last year.

Corruption is a blot on Kenya’s image. Investment does not thrive in an environment of coercion to give kickbacks, or where some gain advantage over others through greasing the palms of public officers. Investors will not want to put their money where there is no regard for the law or business regulations.

Ordinary citizens, too, often suffer at the hands of corrupt officials. It is now common practice for public officers to openly or indirectly ask for money in order to provide services, yet they are being paid by the same taxpayers. Government offices have become dens for self-enrichment to the point where some officers totally abdicate their responsibilities.

The report by the US government should serve as a warning that other countries can no longer condone our ill practices and we must move decisively to kill the graft ogre.

.std-banner-wrap {
max-width: 100%;
width: 100%;
position: relative;
margin: 2.5rem 0 2rem;
font-family: Georgia, ‘Times New Roman’, serif;
}

.std-top-rule {
display: flex;
height: 4px;
}

.std-top-rule .r1 {
background: #CC0000;
flex: 3;
}

.std-top-rule .r2 {
background: #C9A84C;
flex: 1;
}

.std-top-rule .r3 {
background: #0D0D0D;
flex: 6;
}

.std-banner {
background: #F9F5F0;
padding: 2rem 2.2rem 1.8rem;
position: relative;
overflow: hidden;
box-shadow: 0 4px 24px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.10), 0 1px 0 #C9A84C;
border-left: 4px solid #CC0000;
}

.std-banner::before {
content: ‘S’;
position: absolute;
right: -1rem;
top: -2rem;
font-family: Georgia, serif;
font-size: 14rem;
font-weight: 900;
color: rgba(204, 0, 0, 0.04);
line-height: 1;
pointer-events: none;
user-select: none;
}

.std-eyebrow {
display: inline-flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 0.5rem;
font-size: 0.62rem;
font-weight: 700;
letter-spacing: 0.2em;
text-transform: uppercase;
color: #CC0000;
margin-bottom: 0.85rem;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
}

.std-eyebrow::before {
content: ”;
display: block;
width: 18px;
height: 1.5px;
background: #CC0000;
}

.std-banner-title {
font-family: Georgia, ‘Times New Roman’, serif;
font-size: clamp(1.3rem, 3.5vw, 1.75rem);
font-weight: 900;
color: #0D0D0D;
line-height: 1.2;
margin: 0 0 0.75rem;
letter-spacing: -0.02em;
}

.std-banner-title .std-hl {
color: #CC0000;
font-style: italic;
}

.std-divider {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 0.6rem;
margin-bottom: 0.9rem;
}

.std-divider::before,
.std-divider::after {
content: ”;
flex: 1;
height: 1px;
background: #d8d0c6;
}

.std-divider-dot {
width: 6px;
height: 6px;
border-radius: 50%;
background: #CC0000;
flex-shrink: 0;
}

.std-banner-body {
font-size: 0.97rem;
line-height: 1.7;
color: #2C2C2C;
font-weight: 400;
margin: 0 0 1.4rem;
font-family: Georgia, serif;
}

.std-banner-body strong {
font-weight: 700;
color: #0D0D0D;
}

.std-cta-row {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 1rem;
flex-wrap: wrap;
margin-bottom: 1.2rem;
}

.std-btn-subscribe {
display: inline-flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 0.6rem;
background: #CC0000;
color: #fff !important;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 0.8rem;
font-weight: 700;
letter-spacing: 0.1em;
text-transform: uppercase;
padding: 0.72rem 1.5rem 0.72rem 1.3rem;
border: none;
cursor: pointer;
text-decoration: none !important;
border-bottom: none !important;
position: relative;
overflow: hidden;
transition: background 0.2s ease, transform 0.15s ease, box-shadow 0.2s ease;
box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(204, 0, 0, 0.3);
clip-path: polygon(0 0, calc(100% – 10px) 0, 100% 50%, calc(100% – 10px) 100%, 0 100%);
padding-right: 1.8rem;
}

.std-btn-subscribe:hover,
.std-btn-subscribe:focus,
.std-btn-subscribe:visited,
.std-btn-subscribe:active {
background: #A00000 !important;
color: #fff !important;
transform: translateY(-1px);
box-shadow: 0 6px 22px rgba(204, 0, 0, 0.4);
text-decoration: none !important;
border-bottom: none !important;
outline: none;
}

.std-btn-subscribe:active {
transform: translateY(0);
}

.std-btn-arrow {
display: inline-block;
font-size: 1rem;
line-height: 1;
transition: transform 0.18s ease;
}

.std-btn-subscribe:hover .std-btn-arrow {
transform: translateX(3px);
}

.std-dismiss {
font-size: 0.75rem;
color: #999;
background: none;
border: none;
border-bottom: 1px dashed #ccc;
padding: 0 0 1px;
cursor: pointer;
font-family: Georgia, serif;
letter-spacing: 0.03em;
transition: color 0.2s;
}

.std-dismiss:hover {
color: #333;
border-bottom-color: #333;
}

/* Payment logos */
.std-payment-row {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 0.45rem;
flex-wrap: wrap;
padding-top: 1rem;
border-top: 1px solid #e0d9d0;
margin-bottom: 0.7rem;
}

.std-pay-label {
font-size: 0.6rem;
color: #aaa;
letter-spacing: 0.14em;
text-transform: uppercase;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
margin-right: 0.2rem;
white-space: nowrap;
}

.std-pay-badge {
display: inline-flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
height: 24px;
padding: 0 0.5rem;
border-radius: 3px;
border: 1px solid #e0d7ce;
background: #fff;
box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05);
}

/* M-Pesa */
.std-mpesa-text {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 0.7rem;
font-weight: 900;
}

.std-mpesa-m {
color: #39b74a;
}

.std-mpesa-dash {
color: #db3939;
}

.std-mpesa-p {
color: #39b74a;
}

/* Visa */
.std-visa-text {
font-family: ‘Times New Roman’, Times, serif;
font-size: 0.82rem;
font-weight: 900;
font-style: italic;
color: #1a1f71;
letter-spacing: -0.03em;
}

/* Mastercard */
.std-mc-wrap {
position: relative;
width: 28px;
height: 16px;
}

.std-mc-left {
width: 16px;
height: 16px;
border-radius: 50%;
background: #eb001b;
position: absolute;
left: 0;
top: 0;
}

.std-mc-right {
width: 16px;
height: 16px;
border-radius: 50%;
background: #f79e1b;
position: absolute;
right: 0;
top: 0;
mix-blend-mode: multiply;
}

/* Airtel Money */
.std-airtel-text {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 0.64rem;
font-weight: 800;
}

.std-airtel-a {
color: #ec2427;
;
}

.std-airtel-m {
color: #dd3436;
font-weight: 600;
}

/* Equitel */
.std-equitel-text {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 0.6rem;
font-weight: 700;
color: #003087;
letter-spacing: 0.02em;
}

.std-equitel-eq {
color: #e2001a;
}

/* Trust strip */
.std-trust-strip {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 0.45rem;
flex-wrap: wrap;
}

.std-trust-strip .std-shield {
width: 11px;
height: 11px;
fill: #C9A84C;
flex-shrink: 0;
}

.std-trust-strip span {
font-size: 0.67rem;
color: #aaa;
letter-spacing: 0.03em;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
}

.std-trust-strip .std-dot {
width: 3px;
height: 3px;
border-radius: 50%;
background: #ccc;
flex-shrink: 0;
}

/* Bottom rule */
.std-bottom-rule {
height: 2px;
background: linear-gradient(to right, #C9A84C, #CC0000, #0D0D0D);
}

/* Entrance animation */
@keyframes stdSlideUp {
from {
opacity: 0;
transform: translateY(20px);
}

to {
opacity: 1;
transform: translateY(0);
}
}

.std-banner-wrap {
animation: stdSlideUp 0.5s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1) both;
}

Support Independent Journalism

Stand With Bold Journalism.
Stand With The Standard.

Journalism can’t be free because the truth demands investment.
At The Standard, we invest time, courage and skills to bring you accurate,
factual and impactful stories. Subscribe today and stand with us in the
pursuit of credible journalism.

Continue
→

Pay via

Secure Payment

Kenya’s most trusted newsroom since 1902

Follow The Standard
channel on WhatsApp