But the US government-sponsored MCC decided last month to qualify Kenya for a “threshold programme” that will likely carry funding of between $20 million and $30 million. Corruption does not have to be eradicated in order for Kenya to qualify for an MCC compact, Mr Cairncross told reporters. This is not the first threshold programme for which Kenya has been chosen. Despite some progress on each of those fronts, Kenya was still falling short of MCC eligibility standards when the first threshold programme concluded in 2010. “Kenya is an important partner in East Africa,” the MCC said in December in announcing the country’s approval for a second threshold programme.

Source: Daily Nation January 17, 2020 17:37 UTC