The director general of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Twalib Mbarak, has attributed the impact of devastating floods in the country partly to corruption.
Speaking in Nairobi on Tuesday, Mbarak said infrastructure washed away by floods is evidence of corruption.
“Recent floods have shown that corruption has a price to pay in natural disasters,” Mr Mbarak said.
He pointed to washed-out bridges and pothole-infested roads as evidence of the system’s corruption.
“We have seen the reaction of some agencies responsible for managing natural disasters. Their response showed that they were unprepared and that whatever they might have done, they were ill-equipped,” he said.
“Nairobi was supposed to buy boats, but I don’t think I even saw a canoe,” he remarked.
In the recent past, alleged corruption has resulted in illegal construction in riparian areas, thereby reducing the natural capacity of these areas to absorb floodwaters.
In addition, funds intended for the maintenance of dams and drainage systems have reportedly been diverted, leading to the establishment of infrastructure that is ill-equipped to cope with heavy rains.
