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President Uhuru Kenyatta has moved to tame the spiralling corruption in his government by ordering all top public officers adversely mentioned in various graft scandals to step aside.
The President, who was addressing the nation during his official parliamentary State of the Nation address, said he had attached a confidential report listing scandals and names of various public officers who have been under investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
Some of the top public intuitions and state departments recently involved in high-stake corruption cases include the ministry of Energy, the Interim Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, a number of state corporations and several county governments.
“Today, I take the extra-ordinary step of attaching the afore-mentioned confidential report from the CEO of the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission as an annex to my annual report on Values to Parliament,†said President Kenyatta.
He further added: “Consequently, I hereby direct that all Officials of the National and County governments that are adversely mentioned in this report, whether you are a Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary, or chief executive of a State institution, to immediately step aside pending conclusion of the investigations of the allegations against them.â€
He urged the other arms of government such as the Legislature and the Judiciary to do the same.
SURPRISE MOVE
The President’s surprise move on corruption won standing ovation in Parliament as MPs from both sides thunderously cheered him.
(READ: Uhurus State of the Nation speech - as it happened)
Earlier, the President mentioned various parliamentary committees, the EACC and the judicial systems of undermining the war against graft in the country by engaging in activities that abetted the government operation against graft.
Some of the key figures recently featured in cases under investigations by the EACC include chairman of the IEBC Ahmed Issack Hassan and the Energy Cabinet Secretary Davies Chirchir who are both mentioned in the Chickengate scandal.
Two weeks ago, the President warned that persons involved in corruption in his government would be expelled from government.
In his address, the President also announced he was initiating a restorative process in the country by offering a State apology for all wrongs and ills committed against Kenyans by his government and the past regime.
The President’s apology is in line with a recommendation in the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission report which was handed over to him in 2013.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
He announced a Sh10 billion fund to support the restorative justice similar to the one started in the post-apartheid South Africa after the African National Congress took over power.
The President took advantage of his State of the Nation address in Parliament on Thursday to enumerate various achievements by his government as he begins second anniversary in office.
President Kenyatta, whose administration has been accused by the opposition for abetting corruption and exposing the country to high levels of insecurity, told Kenyans that his government had made tremendous gains in enabling a strong economic growth since he came to power.
He said his government would now increase the number of recruits to the country’s National Police Service to 10,000 as part of a major plan to face insecurity concerns head on.
His speech touched on a number of issued and sectors including the economic growth, development in the energy sector, healthcare systems, the standard gauge railway and the digital television migration among others.
- Nation.co.ke
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If UhuruHater & UhuruHatress had a baby the baby's name would be Washington Osiro.
This Osiro is out of this world. Can the president do any good by you? I have been following your writings here and elsewhere and your hatred for the president is out of this world. The problems facing the country have existed way before him and some go as far back as during colonial times. They didn't start with Uhuru, and Uhuru is not a solution to every problem facing the country. At the end of the day it starts on an individual level.
Corruption and other ills are embedded in our culture and blaming Uhuru for everything is not the soltion. Where is your blame for the individual parliamentarians, governors, etc on both sides of the political divide and others in positions of power who continue to make news each day for all the wrong reasons, especially corruption? Or is Uhuru to blame on their behalf?
Agree with you JK. Some people want to pass their resentment and hatred for Uhuru and his kind (tribe) as criticism. Now Uhuru is to blame even for decisions that were made by the previous regime which had even Kenya's 'chief reformer' in it. As you rightly point out, Uhuru is not the solution to all problems. Neither is he the cause of all problems. Until Kenyans evaluate their reality honestly, they will never crack open the solution to their problems.
Mr Osiro,
We know Kenyatta will never be good enough for you, fortunately he is the 4th democratically elected President of Kenya. Your goddess can fanningas much chaos, sabotaging the security of the Country and support anarchy as ussual but Kenya will progress.
This extraordinary step by Kenyatta was none partisan, none tribe, bold and State-manly.
For the first time in History, the President has done what we have always wanted our President to do. Lead from the front on Killing the dinosaur of Corruption.
Unlike Raila who is shielding the merchants of Corruption, Uhuru called on all Persons; Kikuyu, luo, kamaba, mijikenda turkana etc mentioned on any scandal to resign or be fired.
Kenya will develop Osiro, whether you and Raila like it or not.