Former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General and former nominated MP Wilson Sossion has called on the government to introduce the death penalty for individuals found guilty of corruption, saying the country must adopt tougher penalties to curb the vice.

Speaking on Thursday, August 14, 2025, during a talk show on a local television station, Sossion noted that although corruption is already a criminal offence in Kenya, the existing penalties are insufficient to deter offenders. He urged lawmakers to enact stronger legislation that mirrors global examples where zero tolerance for corruption has transformed economies.

“We must deal with corruption across the board. It has reached a time when this country should fully criminalise and punish corruption. It must be done,” Sossion said.

He cited Singapore as a model country that has made remarkable progress by adopting a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, adding that Kenya should follow similar footsteps.

“Criminalise through legislation what the Asian Tiger has done. Singapore has done that through zero tolerance to corruption, and it has taken it far,” he said.

Sossion further noted that some countries have gone as far as imposing the death penalty for corruption, which he argued has been effective in safeguarding national resources.

“In Malaysia, for example, the applicability of sharia law in punishing corruption is about a death sentence if you are implicated. That’s why their resources are reserved,” he stated.

While acknowledging that corruption is a key talking point in the ongoing Devolution Conference, Sossion insisted that the fight should not be left to Parliament alone. He argued that forums such as the conference provide a platform for leaders from across the country to commit to stronger measures against graft.

“Corruption being a serious discussion in the Devolution Conference, and all other conferences are key, and it should not be in Parliament alone,” he said.

Sossion criticised the country’s current approach to corruption, which focuses largely on reducing it, saying Kenya should instead concentrate on punishing and criminalising those involved.

“In Kenya, we are talking about reducing corruption, but in jurisdictions that have developed and transformed faster, they are talking about punishing and criminalising those who are involved in corruption. This is the way,” he said.

His remarks add a controversial dimension to the corruption debate, with the proposal for the death penalty likely to spark strong reactions from both human rights advocates and governance reformists. As the Devolution Conference continues in Homa Bay, Sossion’s tough stance is expected to feature prominently in discussions on how to strengthen Kenya’s anti-corruption framework.