Paul J. Deveney

This selection was originally published in the Wall Street Journal on 14 April 1998. Paul Deveney is a staff reporter for the Journal.

Kenya may be viewed by some as one of the more sophisticated nations in Africa, but the way it keeps its books is raising eyebrows. An auditor-general's report details unauthorized or excessive spending throughout the government, adding credence to the International Monetary Fund's halting of a $216 million loan package last summer. At the time, the IMF cited mismanagement and government corruption in the East African nation. But the auditor-general's office delves into the nitty-gritty. It says it still hasn't received supporting documents from the president for the purchase of a $46 million jet and that part of the payment for land for a new international airport included the transfer of a much-desired site near Nairobi, land the government apparently doesn't even own.