The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has launched a three-day corruption prevention program for key county officials in Kisumu, Vihiga, and Siaya counties.
The program, which commenced on 28th will run until 30th of November at the Boma Hotel in Eldoret.
The forum aims to address the prevalent issue of corruption in county governments.
EACC will equipp leaders with the necessary tools and strategies.
Yesterday, the opening session of the program saw the attendance of county governors.
Among them include Prof. Anyang Nyong’o of Kisumu, Wilberforce Otichilo of Vihiga, and Jonathan Bii of Uasin Gishu.
In his remarks, EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak highlighted the staggering number of reports the Commission has received and processing in the past two years.
“Embezzlement/Misappropriation of Public Funds-303.Unethical Conduct-113; Public Procurement Irregularities-97;
Fraudulent acquisition and disposal of public property-78;Abuse of Office-77; Conflict of Interest-57; Bribery-55;Unexplained Wealth-40;Fraud-10,”EACC indicated in a report.
Out of the 1,337 reports relating to County Governments, 843 fell within the Commission’s mandate to investigate.
The reports revealed that embezzlement of public funds remains the most common form of corruption in the counties.
These figures reflect the urgent need for proactive measures to address corruption and ensure the responsible use of public resources.
The participants in the program are members of the Apex Corruption Prevention Committees, which were established by the Commission in collaboration with GIZ.
The preventive approaches discussed during the forum complement the Commission’s existing functions.
This include investigations, asset recovery, and ethics enforcement.
The EACC will assist county leadership in developing strategies to address systemic weaknesses while closing loopholes that enable corruption.
