Public protests and parliamentary opposition followed the reappointment of Aaron Ringera [AFP]

Aaron Ringera said that he and one of his deputy directors had stepped down on Wednesday because of the "national storm" stirred up after he was returned to the post by Mwai Kibaki, the president, in August.

"We have given the fight against corruption our all, we could not have done better," Ringera said.

The reappointment of Ringera drew fire from ordinary Kenyans, anti-corruption activists and religious leaders who pointed to the failure of the commission to conclude even one case of high-level corruption on his watch.

The first of the two deputy directors to have been reappointed alongside Ringera stepped down earlier this month.

Members of parliament, who are on recess until November 10, had been threatening to hold up government spending bills over the row, but the resignations will diffuse the potential clash between Kibaki and parliament.

'Corrupt environment'

Anti-corruption activists, however, said that Wednesday's move failed to address the fundamental problems within the commission.

"I don't see anything changing in this situation, barring changes in the law."

In a speech on Wednesday, Ringera rejected the accusations that his office had been inactive.

He said the commission had investigated and recommended the prosecution of eight government ministers, four members of parliament, 11 permanent secretaries and 65 directors or chief executive officers of public institutions.

Kenya has been ranked by Transparency International as the most corrupt nation in the region and graft is often cited as a major problem by businesses operating in the country.

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