- The two are facing charges of money laundering and graft.
- EACC boss Twalib Mbarak said they have applied to the courts to have the assets forfeited.
Image: File
Two former governors are among politicians targeted by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, as it seeks to recover more than Sh33billion assets illegally acquired.
EACC eyes billions from two former governors they believe enriched themselves with public money.
The two are facing charges of money laundering and graft.
EACC boss Twalib Mbarak said they have applied to the courts to have the assets forfeited.
Speaking to a group of newly-elected MPs, Mbarak said cash, moveable and immovable assets valued at Sh22.8 billion have already been recovered.
“In the last three years, the commission has averted loss of about Sh32.5 billion through proactive investigations and disruption of corruption networks,” he said.
EACC, he said, has so far concluded 501 investigations on corruption and related offences touching on high-profile individuals.
They include nine former governors, principal secretaries, senators, MPs and managing directors of state corporations among others.
Mbarak said they will closely monitor all the governors to ensure they observe high values of integrity.
Apart from signing the integrity codes when they assumed offices, all state officers were required to declare their wealth.
The signing of the integrity code, EACC said, is a commitment and pledge by state officers to the public that during their tenure of office, they will uphold integrity and will not engage in any form of corruption.
“We have profiled all governors and will continue to prioritise investigations in county governments based on corruption risks identified in financial management, public procurement and recruitment,” Mbarak said.
Early this month, EACC told state officers to submit duly filled declaration forms on the status of their wealth.
“The accounting officer shall prepare and submit to EACC a report on the status of compliance, including a list of officers who have complied and those in breach. The report should reach our offices not later than October 30,” the notice read.
The CEO attributed the challenges to effectively fighting corruption to sibling rivalry among investigative agencies.
He said in the previous government regime, silo-mentality and turf wars among agencies adversely affected the fight against corruption.
“There is a risk of duplicity and institutional overlaps by having several agencies involved in the investigation of corruption and economic crimes. This is a recipe for operational confusion and other desirable outcomes witnessed in law enforcement,” he said.
While responding to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over his recent statement that investigative officers have no business chasing state officers in their offices, Mbarak defended the commission saying it has always distinguished itself as a professional and objective investigative body.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris