Declare wealth by end of Dec, EACC tells county staff
What you need to know:
- As part of an operation aimed at fishing out corrupt public officers, devolved units are expected to submit wealth declaration forms for their employees.
- The anti-graft body issued the notice after it emerged that in 2017, a good number of counties did not submit declarations of income, assets and liabilities to the commission.
- Financial declarations by public officials are part of the fundamental strategies countries around the world have employed in the fight against corruption.
County staff have up to the end of December to declare their wealth, Ethics and Anti-Corruption (EACC) Commissioner Rosemary Macharia has said.
As part of an operation aimed at fishing out corrupt public officers, devolved units are expected to submit wealth declaration forms for their employees.
The anti-graft body issued the notice after it emerged that in 2017, a good number of counties did not submit declarations of income, assets and liabilities to the commission.
Out of 47 county Public Service Boards (PSBs), only 19 submitted their returns within specified timelines.
PSBs' ROLE
Mrs Macharia noted that PSBs must ensure those joining and leaving the public service fulfill the requirement of initial and final financial declarations.
“The commission issued a report that was shared with all commission offices in the county and national governments. We have given the counties that have not complied up to the end of this year to comply," she said.
She spoke on Monday at the opening of a two-day capacity building workshop in Kisumu County.
At the meeting, PSB members were taken through the management of declaration of incomes, assets and liabilities.
PROCEDURES
To date, only 17 counties have developed and gazetted administrative procedures on wealth declaration.
They include Kisumu, Kwale, Samburu, Lamu, Trans Nzoia, Machakos, Narok, Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet. The others Mombasa, Vihiga, Nyandarua, West Pokot, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Kisii and Narok.
The EACC commissioner asked the remaining counties to follow suit on or before November 29.
The year 2019 is a declaration year so all public officials are required to make declarations including those of their spouses and children under age 18.
Declarations are made every two years.
ANTI-GRAFT WAR
Financial declarations by public officials are part of the fundamental strategies countries around the world have employed in the fight against corruption as well promotion of ethics and integrity in the public service.
Counties manage declaration of incomes, assets and liabilities and forward reports to the EACC.
The boards keep custody of the declarations, verify content, investigate breaches and impose administrative sanctions where necessary.
In the period 2018-2019, the commission processed a total of 99 reports related to PSBs, with most allegations centred on ethical breaches.
“Financial declarations are geared towards detecting and preventing corrupt practices among public officers, evaluating potential conflicts of interest and promoting accountability among public officials,” Mrs Macharia noted.
She challenged the board members to be vigilant in recruitment.
