Don’t engage in corruption, Kiambu CC warns

Kiambu,

Friday September 22, 2023

KNA by Wangari Ndirangu

Kiambu County Commissioner (CC) Joshua Nkanatha has warned Government officers in the area to steer clear of corruption when offering services to the citizenry or even implementing projects.

Nkanatha who held a corruption prevention meeting at his boardroom Thursday tasked those in charge of various government dockets that offer free services to the community to do so without asking for bribes.

“Any service that a member of public is supposed to receive freely should be gotten free and not charged in any way,” he said, warning officers who he said have been using brokers to fleece residents for services rendered.

He added that corruption had led to many abandoned projects that were supposed to have benefitted the public but stalled, yet at inception enough money had been allocated for a complete project.

Nkanatha emphasized on the need for officers to be responsible terming their offices as the mirror of government.

“Good governance is the opposite of corruption, and that is why the government offers free services. But the end user are always paying for the services through bribes and brokers who are criminals and this should not be the case,” he said.

He particularly singled out dockets that primarily deal directly with wananchi such as civil registration, crime units, Lands and even Chiefs as the worst affected as far as corruption was concerned.

“Transparency international ranks Kenya among the most corrupt countries; at 42 Percent. Corruption is also between a giver and a taker, but the takers are the ones who introduce the corruption. I hope that you as the takers will be able to serve wananchi without asking for a bribe,” Nkanatha said.

“Those who impends on the government’s fight against corruption will face the law and agencies such as the EACC, NIS, DCI and ODPP will be involved and have been instructed to make sure action is taken against culprits,” Nkanatha said.

At the same time the County Commissioner warned officers who repeatedly absconds duty that heir days were numbered.

“Most of you are out of their duty stations all the time for personal businesses. You are the face of the government in your area of work to the public and you should be there to render services. So, we are putting all of us including myself on notice,” Nkanatha warned.

Everlyne Olunga from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) Kiambu concurred with the CC saying corruption is a key agenda in government offices “and we can no longer pretend it’s not there.”

Speaking on corruption involving the stakeholders she works with; the police and Judiciary, Ms Olunga said if criminals fail to penetrate through the police, they try through the prosecution and if they cannot they do so at Judiciary level and this has seen many people suffering because of the exchange of money.

“Help fight corruption which is everywhere. Let us be people of integrity, who have a conscience. Let us feel for our people,” Olunga urged.

The President in a circular in May this year issued through Head of Public Service stated categorically that he will not tolerate corruption in any ranks across the government. 

He directed all government offices to implement corruption prevention measures in their institutions emphasizing on the legal and policy provisions regarding the management of public resources and the need for accountability, transparency, and responsiveness.

Courtesy; KNA