Graft war is a witch-hunt, MPs say
Nandi Senator Kiprotich Cherargei (left) with Deputy President William Ruto at a past event. PHOTO | DPPS
What you need to know:
- President Kenyatta announced that the government will conduct a lifestyle audit of all public officers, starting with himself and his deputy, Mr William Ruto.
- There have been grumbling among politicians allied to the Deputy President over the lifestyle audit decree.
Two Jubilee lawmakers have dismissed a presidential directive for a lifestyle audit of all public servants, describing it as a political witch hunt targeting individuals from one community.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei and Belgut MP Nelson Koech warned that the war on corruption was doomed to fail because it has been personalised and that the legal and policy frameworks do not guarantee its success.
And even though the MPs said they supported the war against corruption, they, however, expressed misgivings about the approach which they claimed amounted to a witchhunt aimed at settling political scores.
“What we are witnessing in the name of fighting corruption is only good for the public gallery. It’s a selective effort aimed at ensuring that the real criminals go scot free. Nothing substantive will come out of it,” Mr Cherargei said on Monday.
DEAL WITH CORRUPTION
Mr Koech likened the latest efforts by President Uhuru Kenyatta to deal with corruption to “mob justice” arguing that it was a knee jerk reaction intended to protect criminal elements from prosecution.
The two spoke after Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi tongue-in-cheek supported calls for the lifestyle audit but challenged the President to ensure that his late father was also audited to determine how he acquired his wealth.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, Mr Sudi urged all political leaders and their families to submit themselves to the audit.
"We will start with Mzee Jomo, then follow with President Kenyatta and the rest of us," Mr Sudi said during the burial of Raymond Kipchumba - a GSU officer, at Chepkoiya village in Uasin Gishu County on Saturday.
PROCUREMENT OFFICERS
In the month of June alone, starting June 1, the President has ratcheted up his anti-corruption rhetoric in a manner that has left tongues wagging across the political divide. Whereas critics question the President’s commitment to the fight, they acknowledged that he has succeeded in keeping corruption on top of the national agenda.
From June 1, during the Madaraka Day celebrations in Meru, where he called for vetting of accounts and procurement officers in the public service, to the arrest of individuals in the Sh9 billion National Youth Service scandal, the war on corruption appears to have been revived.
“I have resolved to lead this nation in getting rid of corruption and division, the main challenges we face today. I appeal to all Kenyans to join me in the war that we have started, to vanquish corruption,” President Kenyatta said in Meru.
GRUMBLING
While he noted the challenge may look huge because of the way corruption has become entrenched, the President urged Kenyans unite against it.
On Thursday last week, the President went a notch higher. He announced that the government will conduct a lifestyle audit of all public officers, starting with himself and his deputy, Mr William Ruto.
There have been grumbling among politicians allied to the Deputy President over the lifestyle audit decree with some arguing that the timing of the war on graft was a ploy to contain Mr Ruto and undermine his push to succeed President Kenyatta.
