Uhuru orders lifestyle audit on all public servants

President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced that a lifestyle audit will be conducted on all public servants, including himself, as the government intensifies the war on graft.

Kenyatta made the directive public as he began a tour of the Coastal region on Thursday where he was received by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and the two look like they have buried the hatchet with their own handshake.

“We will conduct lifestyle audit for all public servants beginning with myself as a step towards fighting corruption,” Kenyatta said via Twitter, where he shared a photo shaking hands with Joho.

We will conduct Lifestyle audit for all public servants beginning with myself as a step towards fighting corruption pic.twitter.com/FI7WaeerB8

— President of Kenya (@PresidentKE) June 14, 2018

He said all public servants will be asked to explain the source of their wealth and all those found to have plundered public coffers  will be put to task to explain the source of their wealth.

“You must be able to explain how you got your car, your house and land in comparison to what you earn,” said the President, who spoke after he launched the Miritini Mwache Kipevu link road.

The President said the lifestyle audit will be key amongst other measures put in place by the Government to curb the vice.

“Transparency is when all those in authority declare what they own and how they got their property,” said President Kenyatta.

The directive by the Head of State comes in the wake of massive corruption scandals that have continued to rock the country in recent times; including the National Youth Service (NYS) scandal, and the Youth Enterprise Fund scandal.

The decision also comes barely a day after President Kenyatta issued an executive order directing all government institutions to begin publishing full details of tenders and those who win the bids as the war on corruption heats up.

The process, which is set to begin July 1, 2018, will see publishing of information on the items or services purchased, contract prices, and the particulars of the suppliers including owners, directors and beneficial ownership of the companies.

Machakos Governor had also, in May, asked the President to initiate the lifestyle audit on all government officials “because we have seen people with so much money that we cannot understand.”