UN diplomat lauds President Uhuru Kenyatta for his efforts in fighting corruption

President Uhuru Kenyatta has been praised by a top United Nations diplomat for the ongoing efforts by the Government to rid the country of corruption and economic crimes.

United Nations Economic Council for Africa’s (UNECA) Executive Secretary Vera Songwe praised President Kenyatta for his unrelenting war against corruption terming him an African champion and a leader the continent is closely following with admiration.

“You are our corruption champion. Your Government’s sustained onslaught against corruption, economic crimes and impunity in Kenya is setting the pace for the rest of the continent,” Ms. Songwe noted.

She was speaking on Monday during a meeting with President Kenyatta at State House Nairobi.

The UN diplomat met the President to brief him about UNECA’s ‘HonestService’ Campaign that was launched in Nouakchott, Mauritania in June this year.

Ms. Songwe is part of the project that seeks to encourage the youth in Africa to tweet using the hash tag #honestservice every time they get a service without having to give a bribe.

The ‘HonestService’ Campaign is one of the strategies being employed by the UN to engage and involve African youth in the fight against corruption as well as discourage service providers from engaging in corrupt activities.

The Executive Secretary’s meeting with President Kenyatta came just a day after the Head of State challenged Kenyan youth to support the Government’s ongoing drive against corruption during celebrations to mark the International Youth Day in Kisii County on Sunday.

Besides the briefing on the Campaign and discussions on the fight against corruption, the Head of State and Ms. Songwe deliberated at length UNECA’s involvement in the Government’s Big 4 Agenda.

The UN agency is particularly keen in supporting Kenya to achieve affordable housing as well as being involved in the country’s efforts in developing the blue economy as a key economic driver.

Kenya is currently working on co-hosting an international conference on the blue economy with Canada in Nairobi this November, an initiative that UNECA has committed to support.

Present during the meeting were ICT Cabinet Secretary Joseph Mucheru and Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga