Kenyan authorities have reacted angrily to a United Nations report on crime, corruption, insecurity and unemployment ratings, which cited the east African nation has far below the required development levels.

Kenyan government spokesman Alfred Mutua said the government was still studying the UN report to determine whether the modalities used to gather the information were accurate, asserting that the fight against crime and graft in Kenya were yielding major results.

"The government data is collected regularly and they indicate that corruption in the public sector has declined significantly. Crime has dropped by 20 to 15 percent. We want to know if they interviewed people on the streets or used government data," Mutua said.

The UN Crime and Corruption Report released in Nairobi Wednesday said corruption in Kenya, like many African countries, is undermining the country's tax revenue base and drained chances for the growth of the economy as many foreign investors shy away.

The report gives an indictment to African countries' slow move to stamp out corruption and deal with the drug trafficking menace, saying only seven out of a possible 53 countries have ratified the UN convention on drugs and crime.

"We will not enjoy development without security. We will not enjoy security without development and without respect for human rights. Unless these courses are advanced, no country would succeed," the report quoted UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as saying.

Source: Xinhua