EACC chairperson David Oginde during the commemoration of African Anti-Corruption Day /HANDOUT
Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) chairman David Oginde, has challenged the youth to become the driving force in the country's fight against corruption.
He said youths possess the energy, innovation and moral responsibility needed to transform Kenya into a society founded on integrity and accountability.
Speaking during the commemoration of African Anti-Corruption Day and the release of the Commission's Annual Progress Report at the Integrity Centre in Nairobi, Oginde said corruption is not an inevitable part of society but a deliberate human decision that can be rejected by every individual.
The commemoration was attended by government officials, anti-corruption stakeholders, civil society representatives, students and members of the public.
The EACC chair urged young Kenyans to embrace integrity and resist the temptation of engaging in corrupt practices despite the challenges they face in their daily lives.
"Corruption is a human decision, and therefore it can be unchosen," Oginde said.
He said the youth are uniquely positioned to break the cycle of corruption that has affected generations.
According to Oginde, many young people encounter corruption at critical stages of their lives, particularly while seeking education, employment and government services.
However, he said these challenges should not become justification for participating in bribery or fraud.
Instead, Oginde urged the youth to become agents of change by consciously refusing to pay or receive bribes and by standing firm against dishonest practices.
The EACC chair particularly warned against what he described as "system shortcuts" that continue to normalise corruption among young people.
He urged students to reject examination cheating and fake academic certificates, job seekers to refuse paying bribes for employment opportunities, and voters to reject political inducements during elections.
Oginde stressed that integrity begins with personal choices made long before individuals assume leadership positions.
"The decisions young people make today will determine the kind of Kenya we build tomorrow," he said.
He praised the country's increasingly active and digitally connected youth for using technology and social media platforms to demand transparency and accountability from public institutions.
According to Oginde, youth-led civic engagement has become one of the strongest forces pushing leaders to account for their actions.
"When young people rise to defend institutional integrity, the entire country is forced to rise with them," he noted.
The EACC chair challenged young innovators to redirect their technological skills toward developing solutions that expose corruption, promote transparency and strengthen public participation instead of engaging in cybercrime and online fraud.
He said the commission will continue partnering with universities, learning institutions and digital platforms to amplify youth voices and encourage greater public participation in anti-corruption initiatives.
Oginde also called upon parents, teachers, religious leaders and other institutions to nurture a culture of honesty and ethical leadership among young people, noting that the fight against corruption cannot be won through law enforcement alone.
