Solicitor-General Kennedy Ogeto. FILE photo | nmg
The Executive arm of the government has attacked the Judiciary
for derailing the fight against graft after the Employment Court
suspended a State House directive requiring public procurement and
accounting officers to step aside to pave way for fresh vetting.
Solicitor-General
Kennedy Ogeto and Interior principal secretary Karanja Kibicho reckon
that the court is acting as a shield for those involved in the theft of
taxpayers’ money.
“The appraisal process is being
undertaken in the best interest of the public, as such, the ex-parte
order serves to curtail the progress being made in the fight against
corruption and offers a shield to perpetrators of graft as well as
impunity,” said Mr Ogeto.
“It is important that once a person becomes a public officer they are open to scrutiny and disclosing information.”
Justice Onesmus Makau last week temporary stopped the suspension
of the officers as well as their vetting that kicked off last week.
The
heads of procurements and accounts units in ministries, departments,
agencies and State corporations were Monday instructed to step aside
with immediate effect and hand over to their deputies.
They
were required to submit “personal information” including assets,
liabilities and their record of service to the head of Public Service by
Friday to facilitate a fresh vetting process.
The court is set to rule on Wednesday on whether its order will be lifted.
“With
each passing day in which government is prevented to undertake an
appraisal of the heads of procurement and accounting units in
ministries, departments and agencies, corruption in the entire public
sector remains untackled,” Mr Kibicho said.
While
pointing out that the exercise will also be rolled out to other public
officers, he accused the court of immobilising the fight against
corruption.
“The public is losing faith in the
procurement undertaken by public bodies in Kenya and the court should
support the fight against corruption related thereto instead of
frustrating the process,” he added.
Activist Okiya
Omtatah is behind the suit that suspended the vetting, arguing it was
irregular, hurried, arbitrary and an opaque process that did not involve
public participation.
This comes as dozens of
officials and business people were detained for alleged theft of about
Sh500 million via the National Youth Service.
The affected public servants will also take polygraph or lie detector tests and those who do not pass will be sent home.
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