A team of 11 people drawn from Machakos County has been crafted to help spearhead the war on corruption in the area.
While unveiling the group composed of representatives from youth, women, and persons with disabilities, National Anti-Corruption Campaign Steering Committee chairperson Adan Wachu said the work of the team is to transverse the vast county sensitizing residents on the dangers of graft.
Wachu said the negative effects of corruption in the country are no longer a secret and as such each person should take responsibility in ensuring the vice is tackled from all fronts.
The chairperson noted that since Kenya gained independence, the gains of self-rule have never been under such threat due to the run-away corruption in the country which has now reached unprecedented levels.
“Corruption has reached alarming levels in this country and is now turning out to be worse than a deadly scourge. But we should not relent in this fight.We need to come together and confront it the same way we are doing in combating the HIV/ Aids menace. This is what should be in everybody’s mind,” he said while addressing the press at the County Commissioner’s office Tuesday, where the team had paid a courtesy call.
At the same time, Wachu called upon Kenyans to support President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy Dr William Ruto in the fight against individuals engaging in corruption.
However, he urged members of the public not to politicize the war on graft by attacking individuals unless there was substantial evidence to warrant such accusations.
“While we believe there is nobody who is above the law as far as the war on graft is concerned, we cannot go round the country pointing fingers to anybody perceived to be corrupt without having concrete evidence. Our mandate is to traverse the country sensitizing the public on the dangers of corruption and how this vice is ravaging the economy of our country,” he added.
On his part, deputy county commissioner Kassim Boso hailed the move in launching the County anti-graft Campaign Steering Committee and pledged the government’s support in the realization of its mandate.
He said the government will provide all the necessary help in collaboration with the county government to help fasten the pace of achieving the goals of the team.
“We are grateful to the National Anti-Corruption Campaign Steering Committee for their decision to launch this team which will henceforth spearhead the organization of sensitization seminars for the public on the dangers of corruption in our country .On our part we shall assist this new team as much as we can to ensure graft levels in this country decrease to the lowest levels possible,” he said.
The Wachu -led team is expected will meet area Governor Dr. Alfred Mutua before heading to Makueni County.
By Samuel Maina
