On that count, Kenya has for years been on the undesired list of laggards costing it millions of dollars in new foreign direct investment flows each year.
This state of affairs has led to a reversal in the FDI stock in the country with companies moving out in search of more accommodating and responsive business regimes.
In a word, difficulty in securing the approvals has emanated more from individual government functionaries rather than a regulatory handicap with bureaucrats taking advantage of every application to line up their pockets with proceeds of corruption.
Weeding out
Since 2003, however, a laudable effort has seen laws enacted to guide the conduct of civil servants, including periodic wealth declarations and opening of hotlines and other forms of engaging the public in weeding out corrupt practices.
One hindrance to the success of these measures in curbing corruption has been the fact that ethics can hardly be legislated upon; it requires a wholesome behaviour change among individuals and takes time for the collective to be pulling in one direction.
The other has been temptation that abounds for public servants as corporations and individuals go to extreme lengths to secure the services at their own terms and offer to pay for the convenience in any way.
With graft a two way affair, any attempts to ensure documents are released on time and as soon as they meet the requisite criteria have to minimise personal contact between public officials and those who demand services.
Thanks to technology, one need not be physically present in a regulators office to fill a document and follow up on its processing.
The private sector has more than proven this a medieval approach by transacting billions of dollars through e-commerce, an experience brought closer home by e-ticketing for airlines and mobile banking.
With the Government being the dominant partner in transactions in developing country’s like Kenya, the move towards e-government for delivery of services has been overdue for ages.
That is why we welcome the initiative announced last week to enable citizens seeking identity cards and passports to track the status in processing through mobile phones.
It promises to give civil servants a less crowded, less intrusive environment to undertake their duties without fear of intimidation and threats from any quarter.
By minimising contact between public servants and the people they serve, it is also a preventive measure against corrupt practices.
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Quelle/Source: Business Daily Africa, 13.01.2009
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