The County government of Nandi on Wednesday signed an action plan as a commitment to prevent the occurrence and manifestation of corruption in the executive and the assembly.
The aim of the action plan is to strengthen the institutional capacity of the county through system review of policies, practices and procedures at the two institutions.
Speaking during the International anti-corruption day celebrations held at Kipchoge Stadium in Kapsabet, EACC Commissioner Sophia Mghoi said the commission has embarked on system reviews and corruption risk assessment to study the loopholes in delivery of government services and to seal them. “We have made a big stride in combating corruption through court rulings, recovered government assets for instance land and prevented the misuse of resources,” said Mghoi.
Commissioner Mghoi urged residents not to relent in playing their individual role by refraining from corrupt acts, hold those in public positions accountable and report incidents of corruption and unethical conduct to the commission.
On his part, Nandi Governor Stephen Sang thanked the commission for holding the event in the county adding his government was working in collaboration with EACC towards the prevention and curbing all corrupt practices in his administration. “We have had several graft cases which have been acted upon and others are still pending in court with investigations still ongoing,” said Sang.
According to the 2018 National Ethics and Corruption Survey, corruption topped the list of major challenges facing the country at 49.4 percent followed by unemployment at 36.8 5 and poverty/famine at 27.2 percent.
The report says, at the national government one is likely to experience corruption and unethical conduct at the ministry of Interior, followed by health, agriculture, lands and infrastructure respectively.
On government departments and agencies, one is most likely to encounter corrupt practices in Kenya police, KP, NHIF, Courts, NLC and the Kenya Revenue Authority in that order while at the county governments, one is likely to experience corrupt and unethical practices in the health department followed by planning and agriculture departments.
In the report, bribery tops the list of unethical practices at 40.8 percent followed by delays in service provision (14.9), abuse of office (13.7) and ethnicity and discrimination at 12.1 and 7.65 percent respectively.
Obtaining tenders, application for a passport, power connectivity and seeking of employment are the services that attract the largest bribes with a majority of the citizenry willing to engage in bribes to obtain the services quickly.
By Bethsheba Abuya
