Activists want civil servants with foreign accounts probed

By Ally JamahCivil society leaders now want a probe on public servants holding foreign accounts in response to the saga involving MP Chris Okemo and former Kenya Power and Lighting Company boss Samuel Gichuru.
At a news conference in Nairobi, the leaders urged the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) to speedily investigate people with foreign accounts to fight corruption and return looted wealth.
"It is obvious from the Gichuru and Okemo cases that foreign bank accounts have been used and continue to be used to keep monies stolen from Kenyan taxpayers," said Maurice Odhiambo, President of the National Civil Society Congress.
The leaders insisted that Article 76 of the Constitution prohibits State officers from maintaining bank accounts outside the country, but expressed concern that this provision was being ignored.
"The spirit of this law is clear as it aims to fight corruption. KACC should use its authority to demand State officers to disclose their wealth," he added.
Face charges They called on KACC Director PLO Lumumba to use the United Nations Convention Against Corruption and extradition agreements with other countries to probe accounts of Kenyan public servants who may have stashed away ill-gotten wealth.
The activists also asked the Government to extradite Gichuru and Okemo immediately to face charges against them.
"Those who should be making quick decisions on the matter are passing the buck from one office to the other, " said Beatrice Kamau, Executive Director of the Social Reform Centre. She said she was convinced that even if there was sufficient evidence to try the two locally, political interference would block the free hand of justice. The leaders claimed that anti-reformers who want to block the implementation of the new Constitution are regrouping to scuttle attempts to clean up the Judiciary.
They slammed those opposed to the confirmation of Dr Willy Mutunga as Chief Justice and Nancy Barasa as the deputy as being opposed to reforms in the Judiciary and the fight against corruption.
"A sustained fight against corruption requires a thorough clean up of the Judiciary. This will only happen once the appointment of Mutunga and Barasa is finalised. We have confidence in the two," they said.