THE Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission will vet all people intending to seek state offices and elective posts. A statement from KACC advisory board and the director said that under the new constitution the commission is tasked with enforcement of good governance and accountability.
Advisory board chair Okongo Omogeni said it is only thorough interrogation and vetting of those eyeing public offices that will help root out people with questionable integrity.
Omogeni said the realisation of critical leadership and integrity values has been lacking for a long time.The board called on the government to urgently ensure section 35 of the constitution is operational as this will ensure full and unlimited access to all information held by the state and its agencies to facilitate in-depth scrutiny.
Omogeni also urged the government to avail to the commission wealth declaration forms of key state officials and those being considered for public appointments. “The new constitution requires all holders of public office to be persons of high integrity, honesty and willing to serve the country selflessly. This is what we want to enforce as a premium agency on leadership and integrity. It cannot be gainsaid that corruption and unethical practices in public offices cost the country dearly making realisation of vision 2030 look like a pipe dream. That is why we are reasserting our roles,” Omogeni said. He reassured Kenyans that only those with high integrity and ready to serve the public will be cleared.
On the ongoing search for the next Chief Justice and the vetting of judges, Omogeni said they will be the statutory body of reference on the integrity of applicants.
Apart from working with the Constitution Implementation Commission and other commissions, they will be working with the yet to be formed Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission on vetting and clearing all elective office aspirants. “Parliamentary and Senate representatives will be state officers and for us to clean up the political order and ensure good governance, integrity, transparency and accountability we have to vet them before they are allowed to run for any political office,” he said. “In carrying out this exercise the commission will dutifully and with the highest standards steer clear of any bias, influence or interference from any quarters to realise the much yearned democratic change,” he added.
He said apart from looking at wealth declaration forms of those being considered, their vetting exercise will rely also on lifestyle audits, parliamentary reports, government inquiries as well as commissions reports like the Ndung’u land reports.
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