Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Wikileaks: Former Kenyan Anti-Corruption Czar Says Public Not Surprised by Revelations Former Kenyan anti-corruption czar says public not surprised by Wikileak cables showing continuing US concern over corruption Jackson Mvunganyi | Washington DC 06 December 2010 The dust over the Wikileaks cables calling Kenya a âswamp of flourishing corruptionâ has yet to settle in the nationâs capital Nairobi.  Observers say published memos between US diplomats in the country reveal a sense of unease for what is seen as continuing tolerance for financial mismanagement by Kenyaâs politicians. Kenya government spokesman Alfred Mutua said the comments are âmalicious and a total misrepresentation of Kenya and its leaders.â However anti-corruption crusader John Githongo called them âquite accurate.â Githongo investigated domestic bribery and fraud as a journalist, and later as Permanent Secretary for Governance and Ethics of Kenya under the presidency of Mwai Kibaki. Githongoâs high profile fallout with the Kenyan government is documented in last yearâs book by British author Michela Wrong entitled, âIt is our turn to eat.â  Githongo exposed contracting scandals and corruption by high ranking politicians, many of them close to the president. He says that even though Kenyans have been talking about the leaks, few are surprised at the contents. âThere is no news there,â he says, referring to the high profile corruption cases making news as recently as last month, when a top Kenyan foreign ministry official stepped down following allegations of wrongdoing.  Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Thuita Mwangi submitted his resignation to President Mwai Kibaki after a report alleging foreign ministry officials cost Kenya millions of dollars in property deals involving the countryâs embassies. The report also called for Mwangi and Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula to stand trial on corruption charges. Kenya has been plagued by widespread corruption despite repeated government vows to crack down on the practice. Corruption watchdog Transparency International ranked Kenya 154th out of 180 countries in its 2010 corruption perceptions index. Githongo suspects few Kenyans would disagree with the characterization in the memos âunless they themselves are the primary perpetrators.â Still, he says, the memos have had an effect among Kenyan politicians many of whom fear that they will now come under close scrutiny. âI have not seen this in many other countries,â he says, âwhere the elite have been quite shaken up by somethingâ¦â Githongo says the memos will not affect the relationship between Kenyans and the US. âKenya,â he says, âis an old friend of the United States going back several decades. [It] occupies a fairly unique geopolitical space and that relationship is solidâ¦â Since leaving office as Kenyaâs anti corruption czar, Githongo has continued working in grassroots advocacy. He is the head of Inukaâa grassroots social movement âdedicated to inspiring Kenyans at every level to take charge of improving their own livesâ¦â .