Written By Lisa Murimi
President William Ruto has announced a transformative anti-corruption framework aimed at overhauling Kenya’s public sector.
The ambitious plan seeks to address pervasive financial misconduct within government agencies through stringent new measures focused on transparency and accountability.
Under the proposed reforms, all civil servants will be required to declare their wealth and undergo regular audits to ensure the accuracy of their financial disclosures.
Public officers who are found negligent, resulting in financial losses, will face penalties. Ruto emphasized the gravity of these measures, stating, “We shall introduce measures to levy a surcharge against any public accountability officers or other public officers who have lost public resources in accordance with Article 225 (201) (d) and Article 232 (b) of the Constitution.”
The framework includes the establishment of a unified personal identification system for all government employees and a comprehensive wealth repository to enhance tracking and management of financial declarations.
The President also announced plans for a zero-based budgeting system, starting in the 2025/26 financial year, aimed at ensuring thorough accountability from the ground up.
Additionally, Ruto pledged to leverage ICT to diminish opportunities for corruption by digitizing procurement processes.
He also vowed to reform the judicial system to expedite corruption cases, ensuring they are resolved within six months rather than dragging on for years.
