Kenya update

Kenya's political parties spent millions of dollars bribing voters in last year's elections, a survey says. The Coalition for Accountable Party Finance says out of $90m raised by the parties, 40% was used as bribes. The report also says public corporations contributed to President Mwai Kibaki’s campaign via his party.

Some 1,500 people died and 600,000 others were displaced during violence following the disputed poll, before the rivals agreed to share power.

The allegations relate to both of Kenya's main parties - the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Mr Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU). ODM leader Raila Odinga last week became Kenya's prime minister (He's not quite as bad as the rest).

The disputed elections were the most competitive in Kenyan history. The lobby group now wants legislation to compel politicians to reveal their sources of income and expenditure during election campaigns.

The BBC has a handy Kenya in Crisis web page

Its all a damn shame. I love Kenya, it is stunning to look at and fun to be in. However it is so corrupt it is untrue, its population is booming resulting in a huge rise in relative poverty and the infrastructure is fading fast. These politicians will not help. Mwai Kibaki is as corrupt as they get. Kenya is in danger in going back to year zero. Sadly I see no way out for it, things get worse each year for the people, its no wonder tehy take the £1 bribe they are given to vote for people. (infact they usually don't vote for them, just take the money and so would you if it amounted to more than a days wages).