Kenya joins world in marking Anti-Corruption Day

Kenya on Wednesday joined the world in commemorating the United Nations International Anti-Corruption Day.

The day was commemorated officially in Laikipia County in an event coordinated by the Kenya Leadership and Integrity Forum Secretariat.

It brought together stakeholders, international partners and members of the public to raise awareness on corruption and foster public support in the fight against the vice.

The theme for this year’s International Anti-Corruption Day was – Take Charge! Disrupt Corruption Deals.

This comes just a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta said no one would be spared in the fight against corruption.

Speaking during the official opening of the United Nation Global Compact’s 17th Anti-Corruption Working Group Meeting and International Anti-Corruption Conference at a Nairobi Hotel, the president called on Kenyans to join the government in ending graft and added that relevant anti-graft agencies are equal to the task.

Kenyatta further intimated that the government has been in consultation with the private sector to combat graft, noting that some of the suggestions made during their past meeting have already been implemented.

President Kenyatta welcomed the new code of conduct signed by the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa), saying the government is adopting the same as part of its regulations under our procurement law.

He called on the sector to ensure that international partners adhere to the set code of conduct to prevent tax evasion.

The head of state added that corruption has to end and pave way for a positive attitude among Kenyans, and called on businesses to tame graft saying doing the contrary is tantamount to weakening the government.

Several government officials, including cabinet secretaries and permanent secretaries, have so far been arraigned in court over graft following investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) though none has been charged.

So far six cabinet secretaries have been adversely mentioned in graft since the Jubilee Government came to power in 2013.

Of the six, five cabinet secretaries were suspended and later dismissed with former Devolution CS Anne Waiguru the only one to resign.