Harper’s magazine called Michela Wrong’s book It’s Our Turn to Eat, about corruption whistleblower John Githongo, “urgent and important” and reviewed it as a political thriller about modern Kenya – an insightful portrayal of tribal rivalries, pervasive corruption and the growing anger of youth without prospects that exemplifies an African dilemma.
This is probably an apt summary of yesterday’s start of the self-service store’s usual journey, when a cabal of millionaires smashed their way into cabinet amid protests by brave young Kenyans speaking truth and power, demanding good governance, clean government and access to opportunity from a callous and opulent political elite that would gladly rob them of their future.
After bowing to public pressure and reshuffling his cabinet, President Ruto has now threatened to impose additional penalties on officials who embezzle public funds.
Although President Ruto paved his way to power on the backs of the poor, he was accused of recruiting millionaire politicians for his new cabinet.
Some of them defended themselves against corruption allegations, while others were questioned about links to drug money.
But Parliament, always happy to take advantage of the executive, conspired to approve the candidates, who were hastily sworn in at dawn yesterday amid rumours that the President was resorting to old bad manners and rewarding regional political brass and the old guard for their self-preservation instinct.
The Cabinet nominations were sworn in despite lingering doubts about whether the president was paying even lip service to his fight against corruption and calls for integrity in the public service.
At an early morning coronation ceremony at State House in Nairobi, the President acknowledged that many public officials had failed to meet the constitutional standards for public officials as set out in Article 10 and Chapters 6 and 12 of the Constitution.
The law, he said, is clear: public officials are servants of the people and their actions and conduct must reflect that principle and the highest standards of integrity required for public office.
“To increase accountability and promote responsibility for the use of public funds, we will introduce measures to impose a surcharge on any accounting officer or other public official who, through his or her actions or omissions, has caused the loss of public funds,” Ruto warned.
Addressing the 19 Cabinet Secretaries after taking their oath of office, Ruto said the government would take unprecedented steps to accelerate the implementation of the national economic transformation agenda with integrity, efficiency, transparency and inclusiveness.
Ruto told the new team that accountability and the fight against corruption will be central to his government’s future goals. “We believe that our fight against corruption will be significantly strengthened by measures that make it easier and safer for citizens and whistleblowers to report corruption and economic crimes.”
For this reason, the newly constituted Cabinet will consider appropriate changes to the Witness Protection Act to create appropriate incentives, he added.
Strengthening accountability
He said he had spoken to parliamentary leaders to expedite the passage of the conflict of interest law and expressed his determination to sign a robust and effective legal instrument.
He informed ministers that to strengthen accountability and promote responsibility for the use of public funds, measures would be introduced to impose surcharges on erring accountants or other public officials.
“To put an end to wage fraud by ‘ghost workers’ at all levels of government, we will also introduce a uniform personal identification system for all personnel in all branches of government, including the constitutional commissions,” Ruto said.
The Cabinet will also introduce a legal and institutional framework for mandatory and continuous verification of all public officials. The same framework will create a central body for managing asset declarations of all governments.
“In addition, we will enable expeditious investigation and prosecution of all corruption and economic crime-related offences by amending relevant laws, including the Evidence Act and the Criminal Procedure Code, and ensure their resolution within six months,” Ruto added.
The ceremony was witnessed by Vice President Rigathi Gachagua, Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces George Kahariri, Attorney General Shadrack Mose and others.
Chief of Staff and Head of the Civil Service Felix Koskei, assisted by Cabinet Secretary Mercy Wanjau, administered the oath of office to the appointees.
