A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, the saying goes.
In the wake of heightened fight against graft, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has arguably stood out as that weakest link. Critics say it has derailed the war.
But with the nomination of Major (Rtd) Twalib Mbarak to the helm of the agency, the weakest link is expected to turn into the strongest, connecting the Directorate of Criminal Investigation and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to the Judiciary.
He must take no prisoners. This is what Integrity Centre staff expect. Yesterday, an EACC officer said in anonymity that they are ready to support the cause.
“An organisation is as good as its leaders. If [Mbarak is] approved and joins us, he’ll bring in forthrightness, and put us back on track as far as our mandate is concerned. We’ll no longer be viewed as moribund or as those holding brief for suspects of corruption,” he told the Star.
He accused some EACC officials he did not name of derailing the anti-corruption war.
“Though those who have been shadowy in their work are a bit jittery, I believe he is the right man to dismantle the existing cartels that those facing probe have been running to, to slow down their cases,” the source intimated.
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Those who have interacted with Mbarak in professional and social circles describe him as soft-spoken, decisive and down-to-earth.
The former military intelligence officer was nominated by the EACC as its new CEO on November 30. He emerged tops in a pool of 14 candidates. The interviews were held from November 27 to 29.
“He had the strongest CV, matched with sterling presentation skills. The EACC couldn’t have got a better CEO. He will bring a lot of acumen and goodwill, both local and international. He had the highest score. The rest came distant with average performances,” another source familiar with the vetting said.
Today, the CEO designate faces the National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs committee for vetting. Next week, Parliament will convene for a special sitting to consider the committee’s report. If approved, he will replace Halakhe Waqo whose six-year tenure has expired.
Mbarak’s CV is replete with admirable qualifications. The 53-year-old joined the Kamuzu Military College, Malawi, as an army officer cadet in 1984. The Kilifi-born Kenyan served as a platoon commander of Kenya Riffles in 1985-88, security office (military protective security) in 1987-91, before taking up a one-year job on a UN military observer mission for Western Sahara referendum. Between 1993 and 1996, he served as a personal assistant to the director of military intelligence, before moving on to the Horn of Africa Military Intelligence Corp.
Mbarak joined the National Security Intelligence Service as the head of Research and Analysis External Division in 1990. AT NIS, he also served as head of Protective Security, head of Security Analysis and Production Division and Principal Officer, as well as head of NIS Academy Research and Development department. He is credited with training and mentoring some of the top spies in the country.
He left the NIS in 2006 and joined EACC’s precursor — the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission — as principal officer in the Under Cover Investigations Unit where he served until 2010.
Until his recent nomination, he was the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) security and integrity manager.
“He is credited with creating the integrity department here at KenGen. Today, countries and other government agencies are coming to benchmark. Perhaps that speaks to why KenGen is the least corrupt state agency,” his former colleague at the company said.
Those who spoke to the Star described the retired major as an inspirational leader who believes in building strong professional teams.
“He is a forthright, honest and straight-to-the-point person. Unlike many bosses, he leads by example,” another KenGen officer said.
In a memorandum to Parliament, the Association of Corporate and Industrial Security Management Professional Kenya — a body that brings together ex-senior military officers — threw its weight behind Mbarak’s nomination. Mbarak has fostered a culture of integrity and compliance throughout his career, it said.
“The nominee has mentored many up-and-coming security professionals through tutelage, internship opportunities, coaching and training on strategic security, investigations and intelligence,” secretary general Augustine Lokwang and vice chairman Michael Kariuki said in the joint memorandum.
They said Mbarak is a man with massive public and corporate sector goodwill and needed contacts and networks to deliver on the work ahead.
“He has demonstrated professionalism, competence and successfully helped reduced loss of public funds through revenue leakages related to fraud, theft and corruption; hence, his experience and expertise make him relevant for the role,” the memorandum read.
Mbarak was commissioned as second lieutenant in 1985, before being promoted to first lieutenant in 1987. He was promoted to captain rank in 1986, before becoming a major in 1994.
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He graduated with Master of Arts in Armed Conflict and Peace Studies, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Sociology and Diploma in Armed Conflict — all from the University of Nairobi. He also holds prestigious international certification on leadership, security, intelligence gathering and investigations.
The man who loves swimming, mountain climbing and charity is also known for attention to detail and a stickler to rule of law. He is a member of the USA-based American Society for Industrial Security, UK’s International Management Security Institute and a founder chair of ACISMP.
“He is a self-made corporate security career achiever who took risks to get where he is today. He believes in handwork and lifting others,” Lokwang said.