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Corrupt to the Core!
MOST CORRUPT LEADER
IN AFRICA
OCCRP
A Never ending Looting Spree
When William Ruto ascended to Kenya’s presidency in September 2022, he promised “zero tolerance to corruption” and pledged to strengthen anti-corruption institutions. Instead, his administration has overseen what many watchdogs describe as the most brazen looting of public resources in Kenya’s history, with corruption scandals erupting across virtually every government ministry and department.
The Oil Import Scandal
Perhaps the most damaging corruption scandal under Ruto’s watch involves the controversial government-to-government oil deal:
- March 2023: Government announces a deal with Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Gulf oil companies
- Promised benefit: Lower fuel prices through elimination of middlemen
- Reality: Fuel prices increased by 21% within six months of the deal
- Exposed scheme: Parliamentary investigation revealed a Ksh 30 markup per liter, benefiting politically connected companies
- Total estimated loss: Ksh 116 billion in nine months
When the National Assembly’s Energy Committee demanded transparency, key documents mysteriously disappeared. Whistleblowers within the Ministry of Energy who provided evidence to investigators were promptly transferred or dismissed.
The Adani Power Scandal
In a deal shrouded in secrecy, Ruto’s government handed control of Kenya’s energy sector to India’s Adani Group:
- July 2023: Without competitive bidding, Adani awarded 30-year lease of Kenya Power infrastructure
- Contract terms: Kenya to pay Ksh 12 per kilowatt-hour (double the previous rate)
- Estimated cost to Kenyans: Ksh 195 billion in inflated power costs annually
- Kickback allegations: Whistleblower documents suggest Ksh 17 billion in “facilitation fees”
The deal was signed during a private trip by Ruto to India, bypassing procurement laws and parliamentary oversight. When the High Court ordered a temporary halt to implementation pending review, senior officials defied the court order.
The Health Ministry Heist
The Ministry of Health has been the epicenter of systematic looting:
- KEMSA scandal resurgence: New management appointed by Ruto implicated in Ksh 3.7 billion procurement irregularities
- Ghost medical supplies: Audit reveals Ksh 7.1 billion paid for medical supplies never delivered
- Medical equipment scheme: Ksh 5.2 billion allocated for equipment that remains undelivered to hospitals
- COVID-19 funds: Ksh 1.8 billion meant for pandemic response unaccounted for.
A March 2024 report by the Auditor General revealed that 62% of health procurement contracts were awarded to companies owned by politically connected individuals, many incorporated just days before tenders were issued.
The Agriculture Sector Plunder
Ruto’s promise to revitalize agriculture has instead seen the sector become a corruption hotbed:
- Fertilizer scandal: Ksh 5.8 billion allocated for subsidized fertilizer, but farmers received substandard product
- Strategic grain reserve theft: 6.3 million bags of maize worth Ksh 12.6 billion unaccounted for.
- Sugar importation cartel: Duty-free import permits issued to companies linked to cabinet members, causing Ksh 8.7 billion in lost revenue
- Irrigation projects: Ksh 7.2 billion allocated to non-existent or incomplete irrigation schemes
Farmers’ associations across Kenya have documented how agricultural inputs meant for small-scale farmers were diverted to politically connected individuals who sold them at market rates.
The Infrastructure Corruption
Major infrastructure projects have become vehicles for massive corruption:
- Nairobi Expressway Extension: Original budget Ksh 62 billion, revised to Ksh 94 billion with no explanation
- Jomo Kenyatta International Airport renovation: Ksh 11.5 billion project awarded without competitive bidding
- Affordable Housing Program: Audit reveals Ksh 21 billion in irregular procurement and ghost projects
- Rural roads program: Ksh 17.3 billion allocated, less than 30% of planned roads completed
The Parliamentary Investment Committee found that many infrastructure contracts included inflated costs of up to 300% above market rates, with the difference allegedly shared between officials and contractors.
The Education Sector Theft
Kenya’s education sector has not been spared:
- School feeding program: Ksh 3.2 billion allocated, only 40% reached intended beneficiaries
- Junior Secondary School infrastructure: Ksh 9.6 billion disbursed, less than 30% of planned classrooms built
- Free learning materials: Ksh 5.7 billion allocated, but schools report receiving less than half the required books
- University funding: Ksh 8.9 billion meant for public universities diverted to unexplained “special projects”
Teachers’ unions have documented how funds meant for school infrastructure were systematically siphoned through ghost deliveries and inflated invoices.
The Security Sector Graft
Despite rising insecurity, the security sector has been plagued by corruption:
- Police equipment procurement: Ksh 7.8 billion allocated for vehicles and equipment that remain undelivered
- Border security system: Ksh 4.3 billion project awarded to a company blacklisted by the World Bank
- Military uniforms scandal: Ksh 2.9 billion paid for substandard uniforms at inflated prices
- Security surveillance system: Ksh 6.1 billion project that remains non-functional
A leaked internal audit from the National Treasury revealed that approximately 40% of the security budget was diverted through inflated procurement and phantom projects.
The Institutional Capture
Ruto’s administration has systematically weakened anti-corruption institutions:
- Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC): Budget cut by 27%, key investigators transferred
- Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions: High-profile corruption cases mysteriously withdrawn
- Judiciary: Proposed constitutional amendments to limit judicial oversight of executive actions
- Auditor General’s Office: Reports increasingly ignored, recommendations not implemented
The former CEO of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, who resigned in protest in January 2024, revealed in a tell-all interview that he was instructed to “go slow” on investigations involving allies of the president.
The International Response
Kenya’s corruption crisis has triggered international concern:
- World Bank suspended a Ksh 87 billion loan citing “governance concerns”
- European Union froze Ksh 3.6 billion in budget support
- United States issued a diplomatic note expressing concern over corruption
- IMF included anti-corruption benchmarks in its latest financing package
Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perception Index saw Kenya drop 12 places, the steepest decline in the country’s history.
The Economic Impact
The cost of corruption under Ruto extends beyond direct theft:
- Estimated annual loss to corruption: Ksh 890 billion (approximately 9% of GDP)
- Foreign direct investment: Declined by 37% since 2022
- Business closures attributed to corruption: Over 7,200 SMEs
- Jobs lost due to corruption-related business failures: Estimated 42,000
The Kenya Association of Manufacturers has cited endemic corruption as the second most significant challenge to business after taxation, noting that “unofficial payments” to government officials have increased by 130% since 2022.
Sources:
This article draws from multiple sources including: Office of the Auditor General Reports (2022-2024); Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Investigation Reports; Parliamentary Committee Investigations (Energy, Health, Agriculture, and Budget committees); Transparency International Kenya Corruption Assessment Reports; Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) analysis; Kenya Human Rights Commission Governance Reports; World Bank Governance Indicators for Kenya; International Monetary Fund Country Reports; Kenya National Bureau of Statistics Economic Surveys; media investigations by Nation Media Group, Standard Group, and international outlets including Reuters and Bloomberg; whistleblower testimonies documented by the Kenya Whistleblower Network; and court records from corruption-related cases filed between 2022-2024.
