Search for new EACC boss starts in Nairobi

By Peter Ochieng

The search for the new Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Chief Executive Officer is on.

The successful candidate will replace Twalib Mbarak, whose term expires in January 2025 after six years at the helm.

The position is held for a six-year non-renewable term. EACC Commissioners led by the Commission chairman, David Oginde are conducting the interviews – for three days at the Public Service Commission (PSC) headquarters, in Nairobi.

14 candidates will face the interviewing panel, having been shortlisted from the over 170 applicants.

They are Obadiah Keitany, Stephen Ngowa, Doreen Muthaura, Jackson Mue, Joseph Onyango, Paul Maina, Victor Okongo and Peter Lomulen.

Others are Waweru Karanja, John Ole Moyaki, David Too, Abdi Mohamud, Justa Mwangi and Mohamed Mmaka.

After the interviews, Oginde and his team will forward the name of the successful candidate to the National Assembly for approval, before appointment by President William Ruto.

The outgoing Mbarak was appointed by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2019.

He took over from Halakhe Waqo, whose term had expired. EACC is a public body established under Section 3 (1) of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2011.

The Commission consists of a Chairperson and four other members appointed according to the provisions of the Constitution and Section 4 of the EACC Act.

The Commission has a Secretariat, headed by the Secretary/Chief Executive Officer. Its mandate is to combat and prevent corruption, economic crime and unethical conduct in Kenya through law enforcement, prevention, public education, promotion of standards and practices of integrity, ethics and anti-corruption.

The Commission has powers to educate and create awareness on any matter within the Commission’s mandate, undertake preventive measures against unethical and corrupt practices, conduct investigations on its own initiative or on a complaint made by any person, conduct mediation, conciliation and negotiation and hire experts as may be necessary for the performance of any of its functions.