Graft war is won by more than just words

We in the civil society welcome the presidential statement that the scale and prevalence of corruption is a threat to the constitutional promise, national security, and the economy.

We recently called for a Cabinet reshuffle, application of lifestyle audits on all members of the Cabinet and their families, and thorough oversight of procurement across all ministries.

We also called for the release and full implementation of the report of the presidential task force set up to review the legal, policy, and institutional framework for fighting corruption in Kenya.

We support the announcement of a business code of ethics. This should cover both land acquisition and procurement.

LAND-GRABBING

One in five of our public schools is threatened by land-grabbing, while 60 per cent of all corruption is procurement-based.

The President needs to also address the need for the Registrar of Companies to publicly disclose the names of all directors of registered companies within 24 hours of a citizen’s request.

We welcome the fact that the resignation of Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru paved the way for a Cabinet reshuffle.

It had become unsustainable for the country to be governed by a third of the Cabinet.

We also congratulate the President for dismissing the Cabinet Secretaries who had been cited in connection with corruption and who had stepped aside.

We call on the President to institute lifestyle audits of Cabinet Secretaries and other senior officials and their families.

This policy should apply to all prospective appointees and the results made public before their appointment.

Failing to do this will only prolong and replicate the crisis we are currently facing.

CORRUPTION AND ECONOMIC CRIMES

With over 350 cases of corruption and economic crimes in our courts, we desperately need the Judiciary to institute special courts to handle these suits.

The Chief Justice must issue guidelines on bail amounts to ensure that those set by the courts are commensurate with the seriousness of the crimes in question.

There is also a need for guidelines to ensure that magistrates and judges do not issue unwarranted pre-emptory orders that may be seen to defeat the pursuit of justice.

Five governors have exercised this loophole recently.

Until we have convictions and the freezing and recovery of assets of all suspects, the powerful words the President uttered will be meaningless.

For our part, we call on public benefits organisations and the citizens to make this war against corruption personal and undertake a unifying campaign.

We need to make #KataaHiyo a rallying cry and save our beloved nation.

Corruption is not impersonal. Those who abuse public office, their accomplices in the private sector, and the corrupt are responsible for the recent death by neglect of Alex Madaga, Elizabeth Akala, and countless others in our public hospitals.

Our public health, security, and education services are not reaching Kenyans due to corruption.

We acknowledge the President for stating this.

We ask county governments and assemblies to also likewise declare their commitment to ending corruption in all its forms.

Prof Lumumba is the director, Association of Citizens Against Corruption ([email protected]). Mr Kimeu is the executive director, Transparency International Kenya ([email protected]). Mr Houghton is an associate director, Society for International Development ([email protected]).