• In a report, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission CEO Twalib Mbarak says inadequate resources are channelled towards the war against corruption.
• According to Mbarak,153 of the corruption cases resulted in convictions.
Politicisation and ethnicisation of the war on corruption and inadequate funds top the list of challenges the anti-graft watchdog faces.
In a report, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission CEO Twalib Mbarak says inadequate resources are channelled towards the war on corruption. He says they have also been grappling with slow judicial processes.
In last month's report to the African Development Bank Group, the CEO discloses that in the last five years, 844 cases were investigated, concluded and reports of the outcome submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions with recommendations.
According to Mbarak, 153 of the corruption cases resulted in convictions. Some of the high-profile personalities convicted during the period include Sirisia MP John Waluke.
A former MP for Kasarani was found guilty of receiving a bribe and fined, while a former Ministry of Local Government PS was convicted of abuse of office in the Cemetery Land case.
An form Eldoret South MP was convicted of willful failure to comply with procurement laws, while a senator was convicted of abuse of office and issuance of bad cheques.
A former director at Kenya Reinsurance Corporation was also convicted of fraudulent acquisition of public property.
According to the March 15, 2021 report to the bank's regional development and business delivery office for East Africa, some of the concluded high-impact investigations include cases involving nine former and current governors from Tharaka Nithi, Nairobi, Kiambu, Garissa, Samburu, Busia, Migori and Nyandarua.
Cumulatively, according to the report, the cases involved a possible loss of public funds amounting to $12 million.
Another case concluded is one on inflation of cost in the construction of the Lake Basin Development Authority Mall in Kisumu county. The commission says the public lost $14 million.
The commission also probed a case in regard to the award of contracts at the Kenya Ports Authority in Mombasa. According to the EACC, this cost the country $2.1 million.
Also in the report is the irregular purchase of Strategic Maize Reserve by the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Cereals and Produce Board in 2017-18. This cost the country $14.8 million.
The irregular award of tender for construction of an office block in Mombasa by senior officials of the Kenya Maritime Authority at $2.1 million has also been highlighted.
Another case was that of Smith and Ouzman, in which there were allegations of payment of kickbacks by UK companies to former senior Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission officials.
According the report, the EACC has since 2014 recovered assets that include cash and moveable and immovable items worth about Sh20 billion. Some of the assets have been handed back to the respective public entities.
Among the recoveries are parcels of land belonging to Kalro in Naivasha valued at Sh87 million. The commission also recovered land belonging to the Kenya Meteorological Department in Industrial Area, Nairobi.
Also recovered is the University of Nairobi land situated in Kilimani area valued at Sh20 million.
Others include land allocated to Race Course Primary School as playground, parcels belonging to Kenya Railways in Kisumu, properties on Woodley Estates in Nairobi and Kenya School of Law land in Upper Hill, Nairobi.
Some 357 cases seeking to recover assets worth about Sh8.6 billion are pending in various courts.
Mbarak said the EACC is pursuing forfeiture of about Sh2.5 billion by public officers found to own assets disproportionate to their known legitimate sources of income.