Raila, Karua Assure Kenyans in Diaspora of Their Commitment to Fight Corruption

Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his running mate Martha Karua have assured Kenyans in the diaspora that they will tame corruption if they ascend to power.

Speaking during a virtual diaspora rally on Sunday, the two said the Azimio administration would push for legal amendments to expedite corruption cases.

“We need cases decided in real-time and culprits sent to jail and the innocent returning to work. We will do certain necessary interventions to aid us in the war against corruption. If need be, we will have legal amendments to ensure there is a speedy trials Act so that we stop the circus of corruption cases staying in our courts years upon years,” Karua said.

Karua pointed out that their government would work closely with investigative agencies and the criminal justice system in order to have consistency in the war on graft, even as she urged Kenyans to support the graft purge.

The Nark-Kenya party leader cited a similar campaign at the beginning of the Mwai Kibaki administration in 2002 where citizens joined hands with the government.

“In 2002, the fight by the Narc government was aided by the public. You recall police officers being forced to return bribes by the public and the public choosing to walk rather than let matatus disobey Michuki rules. KICC was recovered by the public and returned to the government,” she added.

Karua, who was responding to concerns raised by Kenyans in the diaspora who termed corruption as a major obstacle to the country’s development, affirmed that Odinga and herself will lead the way.

“Public confidence is brought by the utterances and body language of those in power. I want to commit that my principal and I are committed to the fight against corruption and we will demonstrate that commitment to inspire the public to rise up and support this fight,” she said.

During the rally, Kenyans in the diaspora also appealed for appointments to government positions. In response, Odinga pledged that the Azimio government would ensure that a majority of people appointed to ambassadorial positions are career diplomats.

He admitted that diplomatic appointments have become too politicized as nearly 50 percent of those picked to represent Kenya abroad are non-professionals or political appointees.

“We are going to strike a balance to allow for a certain percentage of our diplomats to be from outside the civil service but the bulk of them to be career diplomats who are people who have trained in that line of diplomacy,” Odinga said.