2006年VOA标准英语-Kenyan Opposition Calls for Elections, Oth

By Cathy Majtenyi
Nairobi
24 January 2006
 
Opposition¹ politicians in Kenya are calling for early elections and other tough measures following damning allegations by the former head of a government corruption³ watchdog. The vice⁴ president is among four senior ministers named in corruption scandals.

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Kiraitu Murungi
(file photo) 
  

Vice President Moody⁵ Awori, Finance Minister David Mwiraria, Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi, and former Transport Minister Chris Murungaru are among those alleged⁶ to be involved in the so-called "Anglo-Leasing" deal, which may have cost the Kenyan economy more than $200 million.

It is alleged the Anglo Leasing affair involved the government awards of lucrative⁷ contracts to fictitious⁸ companies to print high-tech⁹ passports and build police forensic¹⁰ laboratories.

Other questionable¹¹ contracts include the purchase of a naval¹² ship from a Spanish company and the construction of a security communications network. Altogether, corrupt² deals conducted over the past few years are estimated to cost around $700 million.

John Githongo, who was permanent secretary in charge of governance and ethics¹³ for about two years until he resigned last year, detailed¹⁴ these and other cases in a dossier he sent to President Mwai Kibaki late last year, from his base in London. Some of the details were recently reported in the national and international media.

Opposition politicians and others reacted to the media reports with calls ranging from firing and prosecuting¹⁵ corrupt ministers to dissolving government and conducting fresh elections.

William ole Ntimama is a member of the opposition Orange Democratic Movement group. He tells VOA that, despite the government's many attempts to cover up its corruption, Kenyans have known about the scandals for years.

"The only thing open to them is to pack up and go," he said. "The government has no moral authority to rule this country anymore, and it should go. We want to go back to the people, and then they can make a credible¹⁶ government, one that can be trusted by the people, a government that is not destroying the country through corruption, stealing, and all sorts of things."

Many Kenyans are angry with the current government, which was elected at the end of 2002 on a strong anti-corruption platform. President Mwai Kibaki and his government have taken some anti-corruption measures such as hiring Githongo to head the newly-created governance and ethics office.

But Githongo resigned at the beginning of last year and fled to London, claiming his life was in danger and that he could no longer do his job because of interference from the top.

Last year, Britain and the United States denied former Transport Minister Murungaru visas to their countries. Murungaru, along with Vice President Awori, Mwiraria and Murungi, have all denied the corruption allegations.

Murungaru's lawyer, Paul Muite, tells VOA the groundwork for the Anglo Leasing scandal was laid by the previous government, and that payments under the scheme were automatic according to the prior arrangements and were not authorized¹⁷ by Murungaru.

"Murungaru's position is that he has categorically denied being involved in any corrupt act whatsoever¹⁸ and has consistently demanded specific evidence linking him to a corrupt deal: that is to say, who gave him money, when, where, how much," he said. "That information has not been forthcoming at all."

Muite says British, American, and European multinational¹⁹ companies paid bribes²⁰ to win contracts during the Anglo Leasing and other scandals and must also be exposed.

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 moody   

adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的

参考例句：

• He relapsed into a moody silence.他又重新陷于忧郁的沉默中。
• I'd never marry that girl.She's so moody.我决不会和那女孩结婚的。她太易怒了。

6 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

7 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

8 fictitious   

adj.虚构的，假设的；空头的

参考例句：

• She invented a fictitious boyfriend to put him off.她虚构出一个男朋友来拒绝他。
• The story my mother told me when I was young is fictitious.小时候妈妈对我讲的那个故事是虚构的。

9 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

10 forensic   

adj.法庭的，雄辩的

参考例句：

• The report included his interpretation of the forensic evidence.该报告包括他对法庭证据的诠释。
• The judge concluded the proceeding on 10:30 Am after one hour of forensic debate.经过近一个小时的法庭辩论后，法官于10时30分宣布休庭。

11 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。

12 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

13 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

14 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

15 prosecuting   

检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师

参考例句：

• The witness was cross-examined by the prosecuting counsel. 证人接受控方律师的盘问。
• Every point made by the prosecuting attorney was telling. 检查官提出的每一点都是有力的。

16 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

17 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

18 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

19 multinational   

adj.多国的，多种国籍的；n.多国籍公司，跨国公司

参考例句：

• The firm was taken over by a multinational consulting firm.这家公司被一个跨国咨询公司收购。
• He analyzed the relationship between multinational corporations and under-developed countries.他分析了跨国公司和不发达国家之间的关系。

20 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

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。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏