The corrupt will be fired, Muthaura assures

BY LABAN WANAMBISI 

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1/1 Civil Service chief Francis Muthaura/FILE NAIROBI Kenya Jun 17 - Civil Service chief Francis Muthaura has assured Kenyans that President Kibaki will act on government officials who are guilty of pilfering public funds. Ambassador Muthaura told the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Cost of Living that those guilty of misappropriating public funds have no business working in the public service. "The President and the PM, for sure, will not hesitate in removing anybody from their job if he is seen to be involved in corruption," he said. He added:  "if you are a civil servant and you are corrupt, then you should not be a civil servant!" His statement comes a day after President Kibaki said he plans to leave behind a legacy of a highly effective Government, defined by the quality of service it offers to taxpayers. Ambassador Muthaura's comments also come hot on the heels of allegations of fraud amounting to Sh4.2 billion in the Ministry of Education and another Sh1.6 billion in the Ministry of Medical Services. Ambassador Muthaura said that he was confident that the changes being effected in the Judiciary would play a big part in the fight against corruption. "The Judiciary has been the weak point in this country, and now it has been revamped and is being given a new life so we are very optimistic that the new Judiciary is going to deal with the issue of corruption more expeditiously.  I believe we are now in good hands," he said. On Thursday, Education Minister Sam Ongeri explained that four key officers involved in the scandal from the ministry had been interdicted. "We have fired the Chief Finance Officer, The Principal Accountant, Deputy Principle Accountant and the Accounting Officer over this matter," the minister said. He further revealed that close to Sh1.9 billion had been allocated to non extent schools by those involved in Kenya's most recent economic scandal.  Prof Ongeri said he detected the fraud immediately he joined the ministry and that the theft happened before he joined the ministry. The minister sought to explain that the audit involved the 2005 and the 2009 financial years when Prof George Saitoti, now minister for Internal Security, headed the ministry. Prof Ongeri said that 512 schools are involved in the scandal according to the report from the Treasury which was released by Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta. Prime Minister Raila Odinga added his voice to the issue in Parliament on Wednesday when he said Prof Ongeri should take political responsibility for fraud in his ministry. Follow us on TWITTER @CapitalFM_Kenya

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