Inherited advantages

Pandora Papers shines a spotlight on the Kenyatta family fortune

By Jaysim Hanspal

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Posted on October 5, 2021 03:04

Statue of Kenya’s first President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta is seen at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre square in downtown Nairobi
Statue of Kenya’s first President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta is seen at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre square in downtown Nairobi, Kenya, 4 October 2021. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta is on the defensive, as critics say the Pandora Papers leaks call into question his good-governance credentials. The papers show how members of his powerful and influential family are using tax havens and secrecy jurisdictions to avoid public scrutiny.

On Sunday 3 October, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) revealed the Pandora Papers – the most significant leak of tax-haven documents since the Panama Papers.

READ MORE Africa: Shadow states are threatening democracy on the continent

Working with 600 journalists in 117 territories, the ICIJ has obtained 11.9m files that reveal secret deals, hidden assets and illicit money flows in tax havens across the world.

Hush, hush

Rich and influential people continue to use the offshore financial system to dodge taxes and launder money. The reports revealed that 78 politicians across the African continent had offshore companies in secrecy jurisdictions, including Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta.

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