President Uhuru Kenyatta inspects a guard of honour during Madaraka Day
celebrations at Kinoru stadium in Meru on June 1, 2018. PHOTO | JOSEPH
KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
President Kenyatta yesterday stepped up the fight against
corruption by ordering that all procurement and accounts bosses undergo
fresh vetting and take a lie detector test by the end of this month.
Speaking
at Kinoru Stadium in Meru during celebrations to mark Madaraka Day
yesterday, President Kenyatta said the fresh vetting and the polygraph
tests will weed out those who are corrupt and unsuitable to hold office.
A
lie detector works by testing the variation of temperature, heartbeat
and other features to find out if a person is lying. It is common in
developed countries to detect liars though some people are trained to
beat the detectors. Lie detectors are commonly used by American
investigative agencies, including the FBI and CIA.
PROCUREMENT
“Those
who shall fail the vetting will stand suspended. I expect this exercise
to be concluded before the start of the new financial year (FY
2018/2019),” said Mr Kenyatta.
In
comments supported by leaders interviewed by the Saturday Nation, the
President promised more tough action on the corrupt in the next few
days. His comments are likely to send jitters in parastatals and other
public institutions that have been adversely mentioned in corruption
reports. Already, the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPD) is at
the centre of a storm over irregular payments to well-connected
suppliers. Various other institutions in energy and infrastructure have
also been on the spotlight.
The President’s tough talk comes weeks after
officials implicated in looting of funds at the National Youth Service
were arrested and charged. The net also roped in directors of companies
that received the tenders running into billions of shillings.
This is not the first time that procurement officers in government are facing a possible axe.
PARASTATALS
When
the Narc government under President Mwai Kibaki came to power in 2003,
it sent all the 1,000 procurement officers home. The department, which
had been centralised under the Finance Ministry, was decentralised with
every ministry and parastatal having its own procurement department.
Yesterday,
Mr Kenyatta compared corruption to colonialism, noting that there was
need for patriotic Kenyans to join hands in the fight, just like freedom
fighters fought for independence.
He,
however, said the prosecution, police and other institutions fighting
the vice would only succeed if the Judiciary prevents “frivolous and
obstructive use of the court system to avoid responsibility”.
“I
have resolved to lead this nation in getting rid of corruption and
division, the main challenges we face today, just like colonialism was
then. I appeal to all Kenyans to join me in the war that we have
started, to vanquish corruption,” he said.
DEVELOPMENT
While
citing the moral decay that has engulfed the country, the President
lamented that in many instances, crooks were being treated as heroes.
“We
know of teachers who impregnate students. Preachers who swindle their
flocks. Lawyers who defraud clients. Architects building houses using
shortcuts, leading to collapse of such buildings. Doctors giving false
diagnoses to increase their fees.”
Deputy
President William Ruto, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, South
Africa’s Deputy President David Mabuza, Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi,
senior Government officials and members of the diplomatic corps joined
thousands of Kenyans from all walks of life who graced the event held in
Meru for the first time in the country’s history. The next national
holiday, Mashujaa Day, will be held in Kakamega on October 20.
Mr
Odinga said his resolve to unite with President Kenyatta was meant to
help fight the vices slowing development in the country.
TRIBALISM
“The
vices that our four fathers resolved to fight at independence are still
with us today. Some have become worse. This is why we resolved to unite
and bring Kenyans together. We want to stop enmity, end tribalism and
poverty, create jobs for the youth and improve quality of life,” Mr
Odinga said.
Deputy President
William Ruto said the move to shake hands with opposition leaders was
meant to help Kenyans focus on development, adding that it will also
help in the campaign against corruption.
“We
want to avoid mismanagement of public resources and corruption. I am
assuring the President that he has our unqualified support,” Mr Ruto
said.
While backing the call to fight
corruption, various leaders said there was need for a sustained
campaign, institutionalisation of anti-corruption efforts, speedy trials
of suspects and punishment of those found guilty. Nyeri Governor Mutahi
Kahiga said in his county, procurement officers together with other
members of staff will be vetted and their lifestyles audited to tame
rampant corruption in the country.
LIFE SENTENCE
“I
will subject myself to the same audit. Procurement officers will be
vetted too. We will not have sacred cows in Nyeri. Anyone found guilty
of corruption will have action taken against them,” said Mr Kahiga.
KRA
chairman Francis Muthaura said the entire public service must be
engaged in the anti-corruption campaign while Nyeri Town MP Wambugu
Ngunjiri promised to table a Motion in Parliament that seeks to have
corruption treated as a capital offence with culprits facing death or
life imprisonment.
During his
address, the President said that the realisation of the Big Four
development pillars will only come true with concerted action aimed at
eliminating the numerous barriers facing the country. He had announced
late last year that he will focus on health, agriculture, manufacturing
and food security as growth targets during his second and final term in
office.
In pursuit of universal healthcare, the government is now extending health insurance to every household.
FUNERAL SERVICE
Already,
a pilot project is being undertaken on the health insurance in Kisumu,
Isiolo, Machakos, and Nyeri counties before it is rolled out to every
part of the country. And to hasten the process, President Kenyatta
pledged his administration’s support to governors who would enrol their
residents to the scheme.
On food
security, he said the government targets to produce 2.76 million bags of
maize, potato, rice and feeds in 52,000 acres by the end of this year,
with an additional 70,000 acres targeted under public-private
partnership for the listed crops, cotton and aquaculture.
The
President is set to attend a funeral service of National Assembly
Speaker Justin Muturi’s mother in Embu Saturday and later the homecoming
party of EAC CS Peter Munya in Meru.
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