Fight Against Corruption in Afghanistan Frustrating, Imperfect, Not Just an Afghan Problem

by Una M. · 2009-12-19 12:00:00 UTC
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The past week in Afghanistan anti-corruption news was an eventful one. Let's look at the highlights.

Karzai's Cabinet --Half Old, Half New: Falling short of the thorough house-cleaning previously rumored,  Afghan president Hamid Karzai will keep at least eleven of his current 25 cabinet ministers and replace the rest. Among those staying on are the ministers of defense, interior, finance, foreign affairs, public health, and agriculture. Controversially, Karzai will also retain as energy minister Ismail Khan, the former Herat governor implicated in human rights abuses stretching back more than two decades. A list of 23 nominees was submitted to the parliament today. Cabinet nominees are subject to parliamentary approval.

The (Dis)Honor Roll Released: As anticipated, Afghanistan's new anticorruption agency released its list of corrupt officials. Two current members of the presidential cabinet made the list, the minister of economy and minister of Islamic affairs. Also included were eleven former ministers and six provincial governors, including the powerful governor of Balkh, Atta Mohammad Noor.

Kabul City Government's Top Officials Ousted for Corruption: A week after being found guilty of contract corruption, stripped of his title, and sentenced to four years in prison by an Afghan court, Kabul mayor Abdul Ahad Sayebi left office. He is free on bail and appealing his conviction, with Karzai's vocal support. Kabul's deputy mayor Wahabuddin Sadat was also arrested on corruption charges.

Sketchy Accounting --American Style: The Defense Contract Audit Agency examined $5.9 billion in US contracts for troop support in Afghanistan and found that almost a billion dollars of contract costs involved wasteful spending or lacked proper support documentation. The US Senate Subcommittee on Contract Oversight was informed on Thursday.

Oh, Blackwater: The CIA reportedly canceled a contract with Xe Services, formerly known as Blackwater, that allowed the notorious firm's employees to load bombs into drones for airstrikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Xe/Blackwater retains other CIA contracts.

If You Thought Your Local DMV Was Bad: Check out this video of Kabul's.

[Photo: UNODC.]

Una M.
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