Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has called on members of the public to actively confront corruption.
Koskei urged Kenyans to challenge, report, and reject corrupt practices within the confines of the law.
In a statement on Sunday, Koskei said the fight against corruption requires collective responsibility, stressing that corruption should be made socially unacceptable.
“I am calling on the public to take a stand against corruption, firmly, clearly and within the full confines of the law. Let us make it so shameful and unfashionable for anyone not only to think about corruption but also to proceed and engage in it,” he said on X.
Koskei urged Kenyans to take practical action whenever they encounter corrupt acts, outlining a three-step approach.
“If you see corruption interrupt it, question it, challenge it and refuse to participate; disrupt it, report it through the established legal channels and oversight mechanisms; and stop it, by standing firm, refusing to be compromised and collaborating with oversight bodies,” he said.
He added that sustained public vigilance and lawful action are critical to strengthening accountability and integrity in public service.
This comes at a time when concerns about mismanagement of public funds continue to dominate public debate, with civil society organisations warning that systemic corruption threatens Kenya’s economic recovery and long-term growth.
On December 12, President Ruto used his Jamhuri Day speech to issue a stern warning about what he termed as moral decay threatening Kenya’s progress.
Addressing corruption, he described it as a national crisis that robs citizens of more than just public funds undermining trust, opportunity, and the nation’s future.
Ruto said the country must confront an “integrity deficit” that begins in early childhood and evolves into the grand corruption witnessed in public institutions.
“In our homes and in our schools, seemingly harmless dishonesty later matures into grand corruption,” he said.
“Corruption is not merely theft of money; it is the theft of hope, opportunity, and destiny.”
Ruto said corruption, tribalism, hate and political division are tearing at the nation’s social fabric, weakening institutions and eroding Kenyans’ trust in government.
He warned that these vices have become deeply entrenched and now pose an even greater threat to Kenya’s future than economic challenges.
“Hate and division, corruption, and tribalism tear at the very social fabric of our Republic,” he stated.
The President also linked corruption to ethnic mobilisation and divisive politics, saying they undermine national unity and derail development.
"We must rebuild a strong value system. We must defend our national unity. We must raise our children in honesty, responsibility, and love for the country," he stated.
According to Ruto, Kenya’s pursuit of economic freedom must now be matched by an equally urgent pursuit of moral renewal.
The President said that while his administration is focused on ambitious infrastructure programmes, agriculture reforms and digital transformation, these initiatives cannot succeed without a strong ethical foundation guiding both leadership and citizens.
“Our economic freedom project demands more than infrastructure and capital. It demands a renewal of our national conscience.”
