By C, KNA
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has rolled out a sensitisation and training programme targeting chiefs and assistant chiefs in Kisumu County, in a bid to take the fight against graft to the grassroots.
Speaking during the workshop, Kisumu County Commissioner Benson Leparmorijo underscored the need for administrators to embrace integrity and deliver public services without fear or favour.
The county commissioner said corruption remains a major challenge in the country, warning administrators against engaging in bribery, extortion, nepotism or favouritism in the course of their work.
“Our people should be served diligently, with dignity, and without being asked to part with anything. Government services are a right, not a favour,” he said.
Leparmorijo noted that the government had already put in place several measures to curb corruption including the enactment of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Act and the Public Officer Ethics Act, as well as the establishment of corruption prevention plans in all ministries.
Each government department has integrity assurance officers trained to spearhead anti-graft efforts, a measure, he said, has given impetus to the fight against graft.
He called for the reactivation of dormant county and sub-county corruption prevention committees to strengthen risk assessment and ensure emerging threats are addressed in good time.
“Errant officers involved in corruption can be dealt with departmentally, but they can also be arrested and arraigned in court. Learning is a continuous process, so we must continue advocating against corruption so that, if we cannot completely end the vice, we at least reduce it to manageable levels,” said the County Commissioner.
He acknowledged that while awareness on corruption is high among Kenyans, enforcement remains the missing link.
“Sometimes cases go unreported or undetected. We need more enforcement so that those involved in graft are apprehended and charged,” he stressed.
The administrator urged the public to demand quality service from government offices without yielding to bribery.
He reminded Kisumu residents that the EACC has an office in the city where corruption cases can be discreetly reported.
“You can also report to any trusted government officer who will guide you to the relevant authority. The aim is to ensure we have a corruption-free society, where development can be realized without the misuse or diversion of public funds,” he said.
The training, organized by EACC, is part of a nationwide initiative to strengthen the fight against corruption by engaging grassroots administrators who interact with wananchi on a daily basis.