VOA标准英语2011-Kenya's War on Graft Continues

The War on Graft¹ has sent shockwaves through the Kenyan Parliament in recent months, with several ministers being targeted in high-profile investigations³. But Kenya's anti-corruption⁵ body says more are on the way.

In recent months, Kenya's notoriously corrupt⁴ public sector⁶ has received several wake-up calls as the so-called "War on Graft" sweeps through the halls of the country's parliament.

In 2010, the Government of National Unity⁷ promised serious efforts to reform public life in the country Berlin-based Transparency International has ranked one of the world's most corrupt.

But the coalition⁸ government may have received more than it bargained for, as several prominent Kenyan politicians find themselves under investigation² by the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission.

In the fall of last year, the likes of Foreign Minister Moses Wetang'ula and leading 2012 presidential hopeful William Ruto were forced to resign from Cabinet posts to make way for probes into alleged⁹ cases of fraud.

The Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission ushered¹⁰ in the New Year with another case against former industrialization minister Henry Kosgey, for his alleged role in the illegal importation of vehicles into the country. Kosgey is the Chairman of the Orange Democratic Movement, the party of Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

But Corruption Chief P.L.O. Lumumba says the fight against graft is far from finished. Lumumba announced late Tuesday that several major cases would reach the desk of the attorney general shortly.

"We expect that about between five to eight high-voltage files," said Lumumba. "Holding all factors constant, [the cases] may very well find their way to the honorable attorney general."

The allegations involve yet another unnamed minister and the misuse¹¹ of regional development funds issued by the central government. In making his announcement, Lumumba described the charges as "very weighty" and promised to submit them to the proper authorities in the coming weeks.

Lumumba has moved faster than his predecessors¹² in tackling Kenya's rampant¹³ corruption, but his tenure¹⁴ has not been without criticism, especially in recent weeks. All of Lumumba's high-profile targets have come from the ranks of the opposition¹⁵ party. Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) members are claiming unfair treatment.

Last week, ODM member Rachael Shebesh accused the anti-corruption body of passing over even bigger fish at the expense of the opposition.

"When will the big issues be dealt with?" asked Shebesh. "When will Kenyans see Anglo-Leasing be dealt with? When will we see issues of Goldenberg being completed? When will we see issues of Triton being hit on the nail?"

Such claims have drawn¹⁶ criticism from the ruling Party of National Unity. Lumumba has dismissed allegations of political tampering¹⁷, insisting cases will be investigated by the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission as they were reported.

1 graft   

n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接

参考例句：

• I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
• The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。

2 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

3 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

4 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

6 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

7 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

8 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

9 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

10 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 misuse   

n.误用，滥用；vt.误用，滥用

参考例句：

• It disturbs me profoundly that you so misuse your talents.你如此滥用自己的才能，使我深感不安。
• He was sacked for computer misuse.他因滥用计算机而被解雇了。

12 predecessors   

n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 rampant   

adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的

参考例句：

• Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
• You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。

14 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

15 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

16 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

17 tampering   

v.窜改( tamper的现在分词 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄

参考例句：

• Two policemen were accused of tampering with the evidence. 有两名警察被控篡改证据。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• As Harry London had forecast, Brookside's D-day caught many meter-tampering offenders. 正如哈里·伦敦预见到的那样，布鲁克赛德的D日行动抓住了不少非法改装仪表的人。 来自辞典例句