NAIROBI -- The World Bank said Tuesday it was willing to give financial support to a new team of top Kenyan civil servants appointed by President Daniel Arap Moi last week in a bid to improve government performance. Moi appointed renowned paleontologist and wildlife conservationist Richard Leakey as head of the civil service in an apparent attempt to bring credibility his government, which has been roundly criticized for high-level corruption.

Donors have been cutting back aid to the east African country, citing financial mismanagement and administrative ineptitude. "The changes in key government positions just announced by President Moi indicate a readiness on the part of Kenya to embark on a new direction of reform," World Bank's country director for Kenya Harold Wackman said in a statement. "As an indication of its willingness to support this change initiative, the bank is willing, along with other development partners, to bring financial support to the costs of its team and its activities," the statement added.

Other notable figures in Moi's new team included Martin Oduor-Otieno, who was appointed permanent secretary at the Treasury. He was previously finance and planning director at the local subsidiary of Barclays Bank. Mwaghazi Mwachofi, former resident representative of the International Finance Corporation in Johannesburg, was made financial secretary in the Finance Ministry. (AFP)