EACC receives assets, Ruto pledges to boost capacity

By Robert Mutasi 

President William Ruto on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, announced the commitment of his Government to enhancing the capacity of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to fight corruption and entrench accountability.

In a speech during the handover of recovered assets from the EACC at State House in Nairobi, Ruto said a robust EACC was indispensable in realizing Kenya's transformative agenda for improved service delivery.

"We will be emplacing resources and support to the EACC to enable them effectively enforce integrity and accountability," Ruto said.

"This is because such an environment will favor doing business and allow our country to reach its full potential," he said.

The EACC has been instrumental in recovering substantial assets acquired through corrupt deals. 

The handing-over ceremony testified that the Commission was doing something right in taming graft to ensure that resources were put to work for the benefit of all Kenyans.

Ruto's commitment to improving the EACC comes amid growing concern about the high level of corruption in Kenya. 

While different mechanisms have been put in place with the view to trying to curb the vice, corrupt deals remain a headache toward Kenya's development and an accelerator in eroding confidence in government institutions.

Indeed, this is a plus for the entity, given that the President has assured support to the EACC will increase.

It is for this reason that the government has empowered the Commission to effectively investigate and prosecute cases of corruption with a view to creating a more open and accountable public service.

In addition to boosting EACC's capacity, Ruto also challenged the need for greater involvement in the fight by the public.

He urged the people to report suspicious activities to the relevant authorities and support commission efforts toward the recovery of stolen assets.

"Corruption is a cancer that must be eradicated from our society," Ruto declared. "We need the collective effort of all Kenyans to achieve this goal."

The handover of the assets was one of the major milestones in the engagement by EACC in the war on corruption and showed how current authorities were determined to punish those guilty of illegal practices.

While increased capacity building at the commission and more political will from the administration are encouraging, it is expected that Kenya may make some serious strides in overcoming the scourge of corruption.