Lack of integrity among Kenyan society has led to widespread corruption and unethical behaviour in both the public and private sectors, Judge (Emeritus) of the East African Court of Justice and Appeal of Kenya, Justice Aaron Ringera has said.
Justice Ringera regretted that Kenyans lag behind on matters of societal integrity as manifested in many ways. “For instance, most Kenyans want to take shortcuts to achieve success in any endeavour, ranging from use of fake academic certificates to seek employment to the theft of public resources and disregard of the rule of law,” he claimed.
The Former Director of Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission made the remarks at Nairobi University Tuesday as Kenya commemorated African Anti-Corruption Day.
He said ethical behaviour, as expressed in the social and professional codes of conduct, is conformity to accepted standards of good conduct like decency, honesty, integrity, and righteousness which are very key in combating corruption in Kenya.
Ringera stated that Kenya must declare essential building blocks of ethical standards, which include leadership of integrity and good governance, pro-active public participation and a vibrant civil society, among others.
“Law has established professional bodies to deal with corruption, whereas these bodies have done little in terms of ethical standards,” he said.
Ringera recommended different measures that the country ought to implement, including imparting values to young people while in school, strengthening Chapter 6 of the Constitution on integrity and offering uniform units in universities that focus on ethics.
At the same time, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Vice Chairperson, Dr. Monica Muiru, said that the Commission remains committed to collaborations and partnerships at the Regional, national, and International levels to realise great strides in the fight against corruption.
Muiru insisted that the African Union Agenda 2063 calls for collaboration and support for the African-led initiative to ensure the achievement of the aspirations of the African people.
As a country, she added, “we should all stay faithful to the path of integrity since it will help in realising the aspirations of the conventions and African union goals.
Muiru said there is a need for consideration of the young learners and society needs to inspire and develop a generation that upholds integrity since the youth remain vulnerable and their character is largely influenced by the environment.
“As youth, you must recognise the value of your life, assess your background, avoid peer influence and most importantly, realise that the future is bright for those who invest in it. Remain sincere, hardworking, patriotic, and focused as that is what guarantees the future,” advised Muiru.
She disclosed that the National Census Report released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) in February 2020 shows over 60 percent of the Kenyan population is made up of youths and estimates that more than 55 percent of the youths are in learning institutions.
By Peace Muthoka
