Eliud Wabukala says anti-graft war bearing fruit, Sh4.7bn loss averted

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Eliud Wabukala and Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo sign action plans on graft prevention for the county during International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9, 2018. PHOTO | ISAAC WALE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  DERICK LUVEGA

What you need to know:

  • The retired archbishop said the EACC carried out 12 investigations this year, saving taxpayers possible loss of Sh4.7 billion public funds.

  • EACC is now tracing 14 illegally acquired public assets worth at least Sh2.3 billion, Mr Eliud Wabukala says.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Sunday said the fight against corruption has led to the recovery of Sh488 million this year.

The anti-graft commission’s chairman Eliud Wabukala said the EACC is now tracing 14 illegally acquired public assets worth at least Sh2.3 billion.

"The year 2018 marked unsurpassed achievements in the fight against corruption in our country," he said, adding “the commission finalised 183 files on corruption and economic crime and submitted them to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions out of which 135 were recommended for prosecution, 14 for administrative action and 34 for closure.”

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EACC INVESTIGATIONS

Speaking in Vihiga County during the International Anti-Corruption Day on Sunday, Mr Wabukala revealed that the commission has also made an application in court seeking the preservation of assets worth Sh2.6 billion.

The retired archbishop said the EACC carried out 12 investigations this year, saving taxpayers possible loss of Sh4.7 billion public funds.

The revelations by EACC come amid intensified war on corruption which has largely been seen to be spearheaded by the new Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

GOODWILL

But Mr Wabukala has hailed the prevailing political good will even though the Deputy President William Ruto on Saturday seemed to link the graft war to succession politics over alleged onslaught on professionals from Rift Valley.

Mr Ruto issued the statement in the wake of arrests of former Kenya Power Pipeline manager Joe Sang and former National Hospital Insurance Fund head Simeon Kirgotty on Friday in crackdowns against corruption.

The anti-corruption czar said EACC called for inclusive effort in the graft and his host Vihiga County Governor Wilber Ottichilo went even further proposing for corruption to be made a capital offense.

Mr  Ottichilo and his Kisii counterpart James Ongwae praised the ongoing war on graft.

Mr Ongwae said: "We support EACC because corruption has become an issue. We thank President Uhuru Kenyatta in his effort to fight corruption."

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