Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called for stronger regional cooperation to tackle cross-border corruption and illicit financial flows, warning that isolated efforts cannot effectively address evolving corruption networks.

Speaking during the opening of the Regional Anti-Corruption Authorities Conference in Nairobi on Thursday, April 23, 2026, Mudavadi emphasised the interconnected nature of modern financial systems and governance structures.

“We are bound together by trade, borders, financial systems and shared vulnerabilities. When corruption finds a loophole in one jurisdiction, it does not remain there. It adapts, moves and expands. That is why our response must be regional, coordinated and faster than the networks we are confronting,” he said.

Regional conference brings together anti-graft agencies

The conference, organised under the Eastern Africa Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities, has convened anti-corruption agencies from eight countries, including Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Djibouti, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Held under the theme “Unmasking Beneficial Ownership in the Fight Against Corruption and Recovery of Assets,” the forum is focusing on exposing hidden ownership structures often used to conceal illicit wealth. Delegates are also discussing mechanisms for asset tracing, recovery and enforcement across jurisdictions.

Mudavadi highlighted the economic consequences of corruption, noting a link between high corruption levels and lower per capita income. He said countries that manage to control corruption tend to achieve more stable and higher income growth compared to those that struggle with governance challenges.

Progress in anti-corruption efforts

According to the latest report by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Kenya has made measurable progress in addressing corruption-related cases.

The Commission forwarded 175 investigation files to the Director of Public Prosecutions, secured 33 convictions, traced Ksh 22.9 billion in illicit assets, and recovered Ksh 3.4 billion.

EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi A. Mohamud said recovered assets are being redirected to public use. These include land in Nairobi’s Industrial Area now hosting affordable housing units, as well as projects in Mombasa and Kwale County.

Mohamud called for deeper collaboration among regional agencies through joint investigations, information sharing and harmonisation of investigative standards.

The conference, which concludes on April 24, is expected to outline frameworks for coordinated anti-corruption efforts across the region, with a focus on strengthening enforcement and improving accountability systems.