EACC, anti-graft agencies unable to fight graft, says lobby

Integrity Centre, which is the headquarters of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, in Nairobi. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • According to the Space for All lobby group, agencies tasked with ensuring public funds are used prudently have failed Kenyans and allowed corrupt officials to walk scot free.
  • The organisation’s Chair Anthony Maina on Wednesday noted that social audits of public funds and projects for the financial year 2013/2014, millions of shillings had been lost in counties but had not been recovered.

A lobby group has accused Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) of laxity in recovering lost funds.

The lobby has vowed to haul corrupt officials to court.

According to the Space for All lobby group, agencies tasked with ensuring public funds are used prudently have failed Kenyans and allowed corrupt officials to walk scot free.

The organisation’s Chair Anthony Maina on Wednesday noted that social audits of public funds and projects for the financial year 2013/2014, millions of shillings had been lost in counties but had not been recovered.

“The agencies are not doing enough to fight graft in the country. We need them to do more but since they are failing us we have decided to give citizens a united voice,” he said.

Mr Maina claimed that institutions captured in the auditor general’s report had failed to respond to the queries raised saying that it acts as proof that funds that could not be accounted for had been siphoned by individuals.

The lobby group vowed to petition the Director of Public Prosecutions to investigate officials involved in misuse of funds in the counties, constituency and national government.

“Institutions have not bothered to respond to the queries. But we will push them until the money is recovered and those involved are brought to book,” he said.

The organization is conducting civic education across the country empowering citizens on how their money is spent.

The auditor general recently released a report raising concerns over spending by counties in the financial year 2014/2015.