The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is putting up proper mechanisms to curb corruption menace in the country, especially to recover stolen public properties by individuals.
Speaking in an interview with the media in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu, during a joint workshop that brought together representatives for Kisumu, Vihiga and Elgeyo Marakwet County Assemblies and County Public Service Boards, EACC spokesperson, Mr. Eric Ngumbi indicated that, the initiative is part of a programme to be implemented in all counties to tame the increasing challenge of theft of public funds, grabbing of public properties among others.
He added the commission met with stakeholders to discuss the proper strategies to be adopted so as to manage the disaster of corruption that is ruining the integrity of the public institution.
He underscored that corruption remains a serious threat in the country hence affecting service delivery to the citizens.
In regard to the status of corruption in the Northrift region, the EACC spokesperson revealed that the commission has recovered public property worth Ksh 3.2 billion in Eldoret, which had been in the hands of grabbers.
Ngumbi further alluded that the commission is currently undertaking investigation on 97 other properties worth Ksh 7.4 billion currently in private hands in Eldoret Town for recovery and return to the public.
He noted that after concluding the investigation on the 97 pieces of land, they will serve the holders with notice to surrender the land voluntarily to the original institution, failure to which will result in court proceedings for orders to retake the public properties.
Ngumbi issued a stern warning to such public officials conspiring with grabbers that strict action will be taken against them as he insisted that involvement in wrongdoing will not go unaccounted for.
He explained that, in addition to recommending suspects of land grabbing to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for prosecuting, EACC also recovers public property which was acquired through corrupt means, unexplained wealth, and others.
In its efforts to tame corruption in north rift, the commission is monitoring the ongoing development of county budgets for the next financial year 2024/2025 due to increased cases where County Assemblies collude with officers on the County Executive side to budget for corruption largely through allocation of budget for already existing projects or projects that are not intended for execution, as a mechanism for stealing public funds.
Additionally, on the ongoing floods disaster, is monitoring all public officials tasked with management of funds designated for containment of the current floods’ disaster in the country in order to ensure accountable and prudent use of the resources and at the same time Accounting Officers to be held personally liable for any mismanagement of the resources.
EACC has also undertaken Corruption Risk Assessment and examination of the systems, policies, procedures and methods of work for Moi University and identified the systemic weaknesses and loopholes conducive to corruption and unethical conduct in the University.
The Commission has since handed over the Report to the University with reform recommendations for implementation. Notably, public universities are now hotbeds for corruption and unethical practices.
“We have been focusing on counties alone and forgetting that our institutions of higher learning, the public Universities, are now becoming hotbeds of corruption. We have conducted what is called corruption risk assessment in order to help our universities to fight corruption and to be able to identify loopholes that bring corruption and to see ways of closing the loopholes,” noted the EACC spokesperson.
EACC’s North Rift Regional Manager, Charles Rasugu in his remarks decried the increasing trends of corruption and unethical practices adding that, the high level of land grabbing in Eldoret town threatens the proposed city status which requires adequate space for various facilities.
He decried the increasing trends of corruption and unethical practices that had permeated higher education sector with the risk of destroying the foundation of the country’s present and future development as he called upon the participants to lead the way in combating and preventing issues of fake academic credentials, bribery, conflict of interest and examination malpractices.
