Kenyan president tightens fight against corruption

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday told all agencies involved in an anti-corruption drive that their performance will be judged on "successful prosecutions".

Kenyatta said the anti-graft agencies must work together to make an impact in the efforts to control the misuse of public resources.

"It is possible to have successful prosecutions, but the problem is clearly a lack of focus and coordination between the agencies involved in the anti-corruption war," he said after receiving a report on anti-corruption.

Kenyatta said the success of the fight against corruption will be measured by the number of corrupt individuals who are successfully prosecuted and sent to jail and the size of the property recovered.

This week alone 72 individuals including a Principal Secretary and five Managing Directors were arraigned in court on corruption related offenses.

President Kenyatta described it as an important week for the fight against graft in Kenya.

This brings to a total of 352 high profile personalities charged in court for corruption or abuse of office in the last six months alone.

The current anti-corruption onslaught is the most heightened assault against corruption in Kenya's recent history.

The president also ordered Attorney General Githu Muigai and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua to operationalize the Asset Recovery Department at the State Law Office, so that it can execute its mandate in full.

The asset recovery department is supposed to ensure that it freezes all property connected to corruptions suspects so that they do not use their wealth to delay justice.

"Corruptly acquired assets should never be used to frustrate justice," Kenyatta said.

The anti-graft taskforce was formed under a directive issued by Kenyatta in March.

Attorney General Githu Muigai, who heads the multi-agency taskforce, said the report recommends radical changes to the anti-corruption law aimed at boosting the efficiency of the agencies involved in the fight against the vice.

The report also recommends that corruption cases should be handled at the High Court level rather than the magistrate courts to improve efficiency.

"So much time is lost between the magistrates courts handling corruption cases and the High Court because suspects will not miss issues to raise at the constitutional court" said Muigai.

The report recommends an integrity code of conduct for Parliament to deal with impropriety within the ranks of legislators.

It also calls for stronger internal audit systems for the Judiciary to safeguard public funds. Enditem