SPECIAL REPORT The NEW LAW SEALS LOOPHOLES IN ELECTORAL PROCESS — Pages 14 & 19 SUPPLEMENT LEnhancingink governance for all THE PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE PROJECT FUNDED BY THE EU NOVEMBER 2011 Issue No. 085 Kshs 40/= — Pages 15 - 18 Kenya risks being InsIde Is Bungoma ready for self a captured state government? By THE LINK WRITER —Pg. 4 ENYANS are seen to have a “business-as-usual” approach President Kibaki Kto corruption, but a new re- orders ministers port published by the International Peace Institute shows that our ex- to revive KPCU treme tolerance to impunity is having —Pg. 9 devastating consequences and is, in fact, undermining the State’s legiti- macy. Kibunjia assures Endemic corruption and powerful transna- Kenyans election tional criminal networks have entrenched state violence institutions and eroded public confidence in them, says the report by International Peace —Pg. 13 Institute. Peter Gastrow, the author of the report titled “Termites at Work: Transnational Or- State changes ganised Crime and State Erosion in Kenya” says that rampant corruption within the Police tact in race Force, the Judiciary and other State institu- against Aids tions has allowed criminals to penetrate politi- cal institutions. —Pg. 23 Powerful criminal networks with links to Parliament currently pose a big threat to the creation of laws, policies and regulations Bee keeping in that could help curb money laundering and Mwingi faces drug trafficking. Governments that lack the capacity or the political will to counter such imminent collapse penetration, he says, run the risk of becoming “captured states” – that is, states whose gov- —Pg. 27 ernment structures have become captives of Prof. George Saitoti, Internal Security Minister uncontrolled corruption. If this goes unchecked, he warns, the crimi- “Militia groups in Somalia have started to profit KARI releases wheat nal networks could penetrate the East African varieties resistant to Community and cause havoc in neighbouring from drugs trafficked into Kenya. The port of countries as well. stem rust This could result in the kind of lawlessness Kismayu in southern Somalia is used to import —Back Page 8 Turn to Page 2, Col. 1 drugs into Kenya.” Africa struggling to meet rising education demand By THE LINK WRITER cent of children who want to enroll in sec- higher education. 2009, says to UNESCO. With more and ondary education in sub-Saharan Africa. She added that “an educated population more children attending and complet- THE global demand for secondary edu- “There can be no escape from poverty is a country’s greatest wealth,” and that the ing primary-level education, demand for cation has risen exponentially, says a new without a vast expansion of secondary edu- inequalities presented in the report, espe- places in secondary education has risen United Nations report, which adds that cation,” said UNESCO Director-General cially in relation to girls’ exclusion from by leaps and bounds. governments, especially in sub-Saharan Irina Bokova. “This is a minimum entitle- secondary education, have enormous impli- Yet, the agency adds, a child in the last Africa, are having a hard time keeping ment for equipping youth with the knowl- cations for the achievement of development grade of primary school only has at best a up and many children are being left out. edge and skills they need to secure decent targets, from child and maternal health and 75 per cent chance of making the transi- The 2011 Global Education Digest, livelihoods in today’s globalized world.” HIV prevention to environmental security. tion to lower secondary school in about released by the Institute for Statistics In many ways, secondary education is Globally, secondary schools have been 20 countries, the majority of which are in of the UN Educational, Scientific and a bridge for young people from the world accommodating almost 100 million more sub-Saharan Africa. The region also has Cultural Organization (UNESCO), says of school to the world of work, or a bridge students each decade, with the total number there are only enough seats for 36 per between primary education and continuing growing by 60 per cent between 1990 and 8 Turn to Page 2 Col. 5 The Link, November 2011 2 GOVERNANCE Kenya risks being a captured state From page 1 gle drugs, counterfeits and other il- licit commodities through the port of Mombasa. that has turned many countries, such l During the first nine months of as Mexico and Colombo, into mur- 2010, at least 10 small arms sei- derous, violent places where drug zures were reported on Garissa road lords and criminals hold organs of en route to Nairobi from Somalia. the State hostage, a scenario that is The UN’s Dadaab refugee camp in just too horrific to imagine. northern Kenya is sometimes used The following highlights from as a storage facility by arms smug- the report are most worrying: l glers. Increased volumes of heroin from l Corrupt staff at the Dadaab refu- Pakistan and Iran, and cocaine from gee camp is involved in human Latin America, are being transmit- trafficking and the sale of “slots” ted through Kenya. At least 10 ma- for refugees wishing to migrate to jor international drug trafficking South Africa, Europe and the United networks, headed mainly by West States. Africans, but also involving Ken- l Eastleigh in Nairobi is East Af- yans, are responsible for the bulk rica’s hub for the smuggling of mi- of the cocaine and heroin trafficked grants and the trafficking of women into and through the country. l and children. About 50 girls, mainly Drug money is increasingly being from Somalia are trafficked every used to attain positions of influence, week from north-eastern Kenya to particularly in politics. l Nairobi. Militia groups in Somalia have l In 2010, a staggering $2.1 bil- started to profit from drugs traf- lion found its way into the economy ficked into Kenya. The port of Kis- without the government being able mayu in southern Somalia is used to to explain its source. import drugs into Kenya. l l Funds laundered from Kenya Kenya is the biggest market for sometimes end up with al Shabaab counterfeit goods from India and in Somalia. Kenya’s security forces display their arsenal China. If no action is taken, there is l A Kenyan cartel comprising will be at the helm, making laws to current reforms in the Judiciary special police taskforces to investi- a huge risk that State institutions suit themselves and bribing their could restore the public’s confidence gate these crimes and taking drastic current and former MPs, activists will be eaten up from the inside by linked to politicians – including a way through murder, drug and hu- in government institutions. action against those involved in cor- criminal elements. As a result, the man trafficking, sale of illicit arms However, these reforms must be ruption. prominent businesswoman – and legitimacy of the State will be un- customs personnel are working and a whole range of criminal activi- accompanied by far-reaching steps Unfortunately, the government dermined. ties. to counter crime, corruption and im- appears unwilling – for whatever with a network of Chinese, Somali Kenya will crumble as criminals and Pakistani criminals to smug- The report recognises that the punity, including the appointment of reason – to take these steps. Africa Nacada cracks the whip struggling to By LUKE KAPCHANGA THE National Agency for the Cam- meet rising paign Against Drug Abuse (NACA- DA) has embarked on a rigorous education exercise to nab violators of the Al- coholic Drinks Control Act 2010. demand According to Aggrey M. Buse- From page 1 na, who is the acting National Co- ordinator of NACADA, the agency a shortage of secondary school is carrying out random inspection teachers. of outlets selling alcoholic drinks, At the same time, sub-Saha- manufacturers and importers of al- ran Africa has made the greatest coholic substances to ensure com- gains of all regions, with gross pliance with licensing regulations enrolment ratios rising from 28 including operating hours and pack- per cent to 43 per cent for lower aging. secondary and from 20 per cent “We are undertaking sampling to 27 per cent for upper second- ary education between 1999 and analysis of the quality of alco- and 2009. holic drinks being sold to the public “Nevertheless, more than countrywide in the swoop,” he said, 21.6 million children of lower adding that through the exercise, secondary school age remain the agency seeks to develop and excluded from education across validate guidelines for promotion/ the region and many will never advertising of alcoholic drinks. even spend a day in school,” The exercise being undertaken states UNESCO. through the Rapid Response Initia- Girls are the hardest hit by tive by NACADA has also incorpo- this inequality, the report says. rated public education campaigns In sub-Saharan Africa, the en- through meetings, dissemination of UNDER ARREST: The agency is carrying out random inspection of outlets selling alcoholic drinks. rolment ratio for girls in lower IEC materials, sensitization forums secondary education is 39 per and mass media. “So far, our teams have visited most operators flout the law in the l Failing to observe public health cent compared to 48 per cent “Our teams are in the field Starehe, Kamukunji, Makadara, following ways: standards including provision of for boys. conducting random inspections of Embakasi, Langata, Njiru, Kasara- l Selling without licenses clean toilet facilities, medical cer- Sub-Saharan Africa is the alcohol manufacturing and selling ni, Westlands, Dagoretti and Athi l Outlets retaining patrons in their tificates, etc. only region in which the gender premises. Those who are found to River”, he added. premises so that they may drink out- He urged operators who have disparities against girls are get- be flouting the provisions of the Act A total of 24 persons (11 male, side licenced hours not complied with the requirements ting worse at the upper second- will face the law,” he said.