Inside EACC’s plan to tighten grip on graft amid accountability concerns in counties
By Sharon Atieno, July 2, 2026Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has moved to strengthen its anti-corruption crackdown after joining forces with Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ) in a fresh push aimed at tightening accountability systems across public institutions amid growing concerns over questionable spending by county governments.
The renewed partnership was announced on Thursday, July 2, 2026, following a high-level consultative meeting between EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud and a CAJ delegation led by Vice Chairperson Dorothy Jemator, where the two constitutional commissions agreed to deepen collaboration in tackling governance challenges.
The latest development comes as concerns continue to emerge over county expenditure after recent reports by the Office of the Controller of Budget highlighted massive spending by devolved units on both local and foreign travel, raising fresh questions over accountability and prudent use of public resources.
Questions over county expenditure
Pressure has been mounting after concerns were raised regarding whether some county expenditures flagged in recent oversight reports were lawfully approved as required under Article 228(5) of the Constitution, which mandates that withdrawals of public funds must only be authorised for lawful and budgeted expenditure.
Critics have questioned whether oversight institutions are doing enough to stop irregular spending before public funds are released.
“County spending must, at all times, be firmly anchored in an approved budget. Kenyans expect oversight institutions to be firm guardians of public resources, not passive observers of questionable expenditure,” concerns raised in the accountability debate stated.
Fresh anti-graft collaboration
During Thursday’s meeting, EACC and CAJ said their renewed cooperation will focus on investigations, public education, complaints handling, institutional capacity building and information sharing to strengthen governance systems.
“The engagement provided a strategic platform to explore practical opportunities for enhanced collaboration in advancing integrity, accountability, transparency and good governance across Kenya’s public sector,” the institutions said in a joint statement.
Restoring public trust
The two agencies said strategic partnerships among constitutional commissions remain critical in safeguarding public resources and rebuilding confidence in public institutions.
“By working together, EACC and CAJ seek to enhance public confidence in government institutions, strengthen accountability mechanisms, and contribute to the delivery of efficient, transparent and citizen-centred public services,” the statement added.
“The renewed partnership reflects our continued commitment to safeguard public resources, promote ethical conduct and build a culture of integrity as a foundation for sustainable national development,” the commissions said.