The government’s commitment to fighting corruption in both public and private sectors remains a priority with the main focus now shifting to prevention measures.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is investigating eight cases of corruption from Marsabit County, according to the Commission’s Manager for Upper Eastern Region, Kipsang Sambai.
Speaking when he opened a five-day training workshop on corruption prevention, ethics and integrity for senior county government officials on Tuesday, Sambai that avoidance of the vice was key because it averts loss of resources.
“Besides investigating cases reported to have taken place and taking decisive action we are majorly focusing on education so that the vice is reduced if not eradicated,” said the regional manager.
Sambai informed the forum funded by the German Organization (GIZ) that the commission was investigating allegations of malpractices against officials of the Marsabit county government.
He added that conclusion of three cases was about to be completed so that a decision could be arrived at on what action to be taken against the suspects.
Sambai called on the public to continue having confidence in the work of the EACC, adding that its activities were conducted independently without interference from any quarter.
He said cooperation between the various investigating agencies of the government was good, adding that investigations into allegations of corruption must meet the constitution threshold required hence the long duration taken to conclude the cases.
The EACC in collaboration with stakeholders is carrying out trainings across the country as programmed by its National Integrity Academy (NIAca) so as to sensitize public servants at both levels of government on how best to deal with corruption.
“Resources are being used to organize these trainings in order to equip the participants with skills that could enable them to detect risk areas of corruption,” said Sambai.
He said that integrity was key to prudent use of resources and effective delivery of services to members of the public and should be entrenched in both public and private institutions.
The Regional manager emphasized that citizens were entitled to access effective services irrespective of where they lived in the country.
By Sebastian Miriti