• The President also witnessed the handing over of 39 title deeds for corruptly acquired parcels of land to public entities and county governments worth over Sh5 billion.
• Uhuru said the country cannot afford to sleep on the honors of the gains it has achieved in fighting corruption, until the vice is completely eradicated.
Image: PSCU
President Uhuru Kenyatta has called on Kenyans to scale up the fight against corruption saying the soul of the nation depends on it.
Uhuru said the country cannot afford to sleep and celebrate the gains achieved in fighting graft until the vice is completely eradicated.
“We must all work together, that is all arms of the government, the business community, media, religious institutions, non-governmental organizations and the ordinary Kenyans to fight this noble war," he said.
The President was speaking on Monday at State House where he witnessed the ceremonial handing over of Sh450 million repatriated Jersey.
The funds were confiscated by Jersey authorities following the successful conviction of Windward Trading Limited for money laundering.
The President said Kenyans must raise the bar even higher in fighting the vice if Kenya is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Vision 2030.
During the occasion, the President also witnessed the handing over of 39 title deeds for corruptly acquired parcels of land to public entities and county governments worth over Sh5 billion.
The corruptly acquired land recovered by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) included 14 parcels handed over to Treasury Cabinet Secretary as trustee of various public institutions.
The land is valued at approximately Sh603 million.
One parcel of land valued at Sh2 billion was handed over to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization and another piece of land valued of the same value went to the Kenya Railways Corporation.
Other recovered parcels of land were handed over to the county governments of Uasin Gishu, Kisii, Nakuru, Kisumu and Bomet.
Uhuru emphasized that although corruption has deep roots and its axis keeps on regrouping and fighting back, the government will not be swayed by the naysayers or misdirected by those who relish negativity and resentment.
The Head of State lauded all actors from the government of Kenya and that of Jersey for their sustained efforts that resulted in the signing of the Asset Sharing Agreement (ASA).
The decree was signed under the Framework for the Return of Assets from Crime and Corruption in Kenya.
Image: PSCU
The President also commended EACC for the outcome of their hard work that has resulted in the restitution of illegally acquired land titles back to their original public sector owners.
“Together with all the representative investigative, prosecutorial and oversight bodies present today who I describe as our 'Anti-Corruption Army,' we continue to see the fruits of our collective labor to curtail corruption and minimize opportunities for its occurrence,” he said.
The President cited examples of additional deliberate policy, legislative and administrative reforms taken against corruption including a strategy to engage international partners in mutual legal assistance.
Other ways included the introduction of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) which has entrenched the values of ethics and integrity in children’s learning and issuance of various Executive Orders.
This includes the Mwongozo Code of Governance for State Corporations which has transformed the management and governance framework of state owned enterprises.
Other officials present were the Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, British High Commissioner to Kenya Ambassador Jane Marriot and Central Bank Governor Patrick Njoroge.
EACC Chairman Archbishop Eliud Wabukala and Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak were also present.
Archbishop Wabukala thanked Uhuru for supporting the Anti-Graft body in its operations, saying the facilitation has resulted in the success the country has recorded so far in the war against corruption.
High Commissioner Marriot pledged her country’s continued support to the Government of Kenya in the recovery of illegally acquired assets stashed abroad.
“The Framework for the Return of Assets from Crime and Corruption signed on March 28, sends a clear signal to those who wish to steal from the State that they will ultimately not succeed," Marriot.
Attorney General Paul Kihara, Cabinet Secretaries Raychelle Omamo (Foreign Affairs), Farida Karoney (Lands), Ukur Yatani (Treasury) and Mutahi Kagwe (Health) as well as Governors Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru), James Ongwae (Kisii) and Anyang Nyong’o (Kisumu) were also present.