President William Ruto has promised to spare the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) from budget cuts.
Speaking on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at State House, Nairobi, when the EACC handed over recovered assets back to the state, Ruto insisted that the anti-graft agency should not undergo the budget cuts after the government started implementing them as part of austerity measures.
Budget cuts
The Executive and the Judiciary are some of the arms of the government that were subjected to budget cuts.
According to President Ruto, the EACC was spared because of its importance and relevance of what they do in safeguarding public assets and property.
“We know there are budgetary challenges but the one item that I insisted that should not face the budget cuts that we were going through is the EACC because I know the importance and relevance of what you do in safeguarding public assets and property,” the Head of State said.
EACC praised
President Ruto went ahead to applaud the anti-graft agency for producing some of the best officers in the country.
“On a positive side, the officers that move from EACC to join other government agencies is actually a testimony that you have some of the best and that is why others come for them,” Ruto stated.
Taking to his official X account after the State House event, Ruto also promised to build the EACC’s capacity to enforce integrity and accountability.
Ruto further stated that building EACC’s capacity will foster a facilitative environment that advances Kenya’s transformative agenda and boosts service delivery.
“We will build the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission’s (EACC) capacity to enforce integrity and accountability. This will foster a facilitative environment that advances Kenya’s transformative agenda and boost service delivery,” he said.
We will build the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission's (EACC) capacity to enforce integrity and accountability. This will foster a facilitative environment that advances Kenya’s transformative agenda and boost service delivery.
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) September 11, 2024
During the handing over of assets recovered by… pic.twitter.com/oObjIzDXWO
The president also praised the EACC for its successful efforts over the past five years in reclaiming assets worth a staggering Ksh28 billion.
“EACC has recovered assets valued at approximately Ksh28 billion over the last five years both cash and movable and immovable assets,” Ruto emphasized.
He further highlighted EACC’s proactive measures to protect public funds, citing their ability to avert the loss of around Ksh41 billion by deploying various tactics to disrupt corrupt networks.
“EACC has also effectively intervened to prevent the loss of public funds amounting to an estimated Ksh41 billion by deploying various strategies to disrupt corrupt networks,” he added.
