Bribery and corruption in telecommunications: the case of Kenya

Purpose – This paper aims to examine how telecommunications in Kenya was affected by the absence of good governance and the presence of rent-seeking by ministers. Design/methodology/approach – A single-country case study combining approaches of anti-corruption and telecommunications methodologies using secondary and legal sources. Findings – Corruption has been a significant factor, but has also led to distortions in the market which may have been more significant. Research limitations/implications – Given the sensitivity of corrupt dealing, it is impracticable to interview the principals, some of whose identities are concealed behind front companies. Practical implications – It is necessary to modify telecommunications practice to eliminate the use of front companies and those registered in opaque registries to identify conflicts of interests. Originality/value – This is one of only four countries examined in terms of bribery and corruption in telecommunications.