Lawyers ask leaders to declare wealth

Rift Valley lawyers have asked President Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto and senior state officers to declare their wealth publicly to show their commitment to the fight against corruption.

Speaking during the Nakuru Law Society of Kenya (LSK) branch elections on Saturday, the lawyers, led by chairman John Ochang’, demanded that Chief Justice David Maraga, his deputy, speakers of the Senate and the National Assembly, Cabinet  Secretaries, governors and all other high-ranking civil servants undergo a voluntary lifestyle audit and declare their wealth publicly. 

CORRUPTION SCANDALS
The lawyers said that unless top civil servants show their commitment to the fight against graft, the ongoing cases on the loss of Sh9 billion at the National Youth Service (NYS) will not bear fruit.

Meanwhile, Kirinyaga, Nyeri and Nyandarua woman representatives have also supported calls for a lifestyle audit of senior government officials, but expressed disappointment that some of the suspects in the Sh9 billion NYS scandal were being given special treatment.  

Speaking in Ol Kalou Town, at the weekend, Ms Purity Wambui Ngirici, Ms Rahab Mukami and Ms Faith Gitau demanded comprehensive investigations into the matter.

They accused the investigators of failing to account for all the funds suspected to have been stolen in the scandal.

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

LSK President Allen Gichuhi said corruption needs a solution at all levels, but added that the society will announce its stand after its council meets.

Various state departments have in the past weeks been rocked by corruption scandals involving thefts and misappropriation of billions of taxpayers’ money.

"The fight against corruption Should begin State House. It should not just be within pockets of this country. We want to see this starting from the office of the President,” a member said.

We want to see the Head of State making a voluntary declaration on how much wealth he has acquired since he assumed office,” said LSK council member Mr Bernard Kipkoech Ng’etich.

The lawyers want the top civil servants to declare properties they have acquired and how they got them. 

GOVERNORS

“President Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto, Cabinet Secretaries, Chief Justice, all judges, speakers and all high ranking Kenyans should do a voluntary self-life audit of how much they have acquired since they entered office. Then in counties, we ask governors, deputies and County Assembly speakers to do the same,” Mr Kipkoech added. 

He said it was useless going after procurement officers and other junior workers, when the real theft was occurring at the high state offices. 
“We should start from the bigger people, otherwise as it is this is a pocket fight which will not yield much,” added Mr Ng’etich.
The lawyers further faulted the Judiciary on the denial of NYS suspects bail, saying the law on ‘presumption of innocent until proven guilty’ should apply to all Kenyans.

RULE OF LAW
“We have a duty to the public to ensure that the rule of law and constitutionalism are maintained and protected. If there is suspicion, there must be sufficient evidence that somebody is corrupt. As LSK we will not support blanket condemnations on public servants or other Kenyans because of suspicion that they are corrupt,” said Mr Kipkoech. 
They maintained the fight on graft should be done in accordance with the law.