The Chief Executive Officer of Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Abdi Mohamud, has been elected President of the Eastern Africa Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (EAAACA).

Mohamud assumed the position during the closing of the 16th Annual General Meeting held in Nairobi from April 20 to 24, 2026.

He takes over from Uganda’s Inspector General of Government, Naluze Aisha Batala, who concluded her tenure after serving in the role and was recognised for her leadership in regional coordination efforts.

He previously served as vice president of EAAACA for two years before he was elected president.

The election took place during a regional gathering that brought together anti-corruption agencies from eight countries: Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Djibouti, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The conference was organised under EAAACA and included the 31st Executive Committee Meeting, ARINEA Steering Group discussions, the 8th Asset Recovery Workshop, and the Anti-Corruption Conference.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, speaking during the conference on April 23, 2026 called for stronger regional coordination to address corruption across borders.

“We are bound together by trade, borders, financial systems and shared vulnerabilities. When corruption finds a loophole in one jurisdiction, it does not remain there. It adapts, moves and expands. That is why our response must be regional, coordinated and faster than the networks we are confronting,” he said.

The forum focused on strengthening collaboration in addressing illicit financial flows, asset recovery, and cross-border corruption networks under the theme “Unmasking Beneficial Ownership in the Fight Against Corruption and Recovery of Assets.”

In his acceptance remarks, Mohamud expressed appreciation for his election and committed to strengthening cooperation among member agencies.

He outlined priorities that include mutual legal assistance, cross-border investigations, intelligence sharing, harmonisation of anti-corruption laws, and capacity building through peer learning and technical exchange programmes.

He also highlighted plans to operationalise the Centre for Research on Ethics and Anti-Corruption (CEREAC), scheduled for launch in Nairobi in June 2026. The centre is expected to support research and policy development on anti-corruption strategies across the region.

Mohamud noted that his leadership would enhance regional coordination and strengthen joint responses to corruption challenges affecting multiple jurisdictions.

EACC reported progress in enforcement and asset recovery activities. The Commission indicated that 175 investigation files were forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions. It also recorded 33 convictions and traced Ksh22.9 billion in illicit assets.

Recovered assets amounting to Ksh3.4 billion have been channelled into public projects, including affordable housing initiatives in Nairobi’s Industrial Area and programmes in Mombasa and Kwale counties.