World Notes Kenya

When the charred body of Foreign Minister Robert Ouko was found with a bullet in the head 21 months ago, a police report suggested he had committed suicide. Last week a judicial commission of inquiry finally learned the results of an independent investigation, headed by Scotland Yard detective John Troon, that had been suppressed by the government of President Daniel arap Moi. Troon concluded that Ouko had been murdered to stop his revelations of high-level corruption in the Moi administration.

Troon linked Ouko's death to a Washington visit in January 1990 by Moi, Ouko and Energy Minister Nicholas Biwott, who was recently accused of taking a 10% commission from an Italian contractor. Charging that "corruption in central government and personal vendetta were motives for Ouko's murder," Troon testified that Ouko and Biwott quarreled angrily after U.S. officials told the group a crackdown on government malfeasance would improve the business climate. Western governments, including the U.S., may withhold aid unless Kenya cleans up its act.