Anti-Corruption body to Kenyans, ‘You voted in funny guys!’
As President William Ruto reaffirms his commitment to fighting graft, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has shifted the blame to Kenyans for electing corrupt leaders.
Twalib Mbarak, the CEO of the anti-graft body, states that corruption in Kenya has deep roots, primarily attributed to leaders occupying senior political positions.
For that reason, Twalib places the blame on Kenyans for the burden they place on their own shoulders.
The EACC boss stated that the anti-graft body cannot monitor every leader since it lacks the manpower to oversee all elected leaders, especially those tasked with accounting for public resources and offices.
“You voted in funny guys, then you complain that the EACC is not working. We cannot be everywhere. This is a country of 55 million people, so if you want us to monitor and supervise every Kenyan for corruption, we will need a workforce of 55 million EACC strengths, which is impossible,” Twalib stated.
He pointed to the County Governments, stating that the devolved systems of governance are rife with graft cases.
There are 47 counties across the country.
However, the EACC Chief, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Sociology, praised Kisumu County Governor, Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, for his transparent leadership.
“It is evident that some counties are less corrupt than others. I give a good example; I have been to Kisumu County and it is a very accountable county under Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o,” he praised.
Prof Nyong’o is serving his second term as the county boss.
He was elected in 2017 through the opposition party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), and retained the seat in the 2022 general elections.
The ODM party leader, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has been campaigning against corruption in the country, especially being one of the pioneers who helped in the formation of Devolution through the passage of the current Constitution in 2010.
The Constitution was enacted in 2013 when the now-retired President Uhuru Kenyatta took the helm of power.
Twalib said most counties are ailing because of leaders whose integrity is compromised.
“There are some counties which have issues, and if you look at the key problems, it is evident that you (Kenyans) elected bad leaders. A pig fries itself with its fats, and Kenyans have followed suit,” said the former military officer.
In a bid to curb corruption in both national and county governments, President Ruto is advocating for the digitisation of all public services.