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2017 KENYA ELECTIONS

EACC says advice to bar 106 candidates from August polls ignored

The week-long Senators’ induction is expected to conclude Friday paving way for resumption of House sittings slated for next Tuesday/CFM NEWS

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 22 – The Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) has revealed that at least 106 ‘unsuitable candidates’ were given the green light by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to run for public office in the August 8 General Election despite having integrity issues.

The disclosure on Thursday by the EACC’s Vice Chairperson Sophia Lepuchirit at Simba Lodge in Naivasha where she was addressing Senators during induction also revealed that some of the candidates who vied for gubernatorial, Senate, National Assembly and County Assembly seats who were facing integrity queries were elected in the August polls.

“Prior to the polls, the Commission blacklisted 106 candidates including Governors, Senators, Members of Parliament, and Members of County Assemblies who had integrity issues and even cases with the Commission but they were cleared by IEBC,” said Lepuchirit.

Lepuchirit noted that the Commission had asked IEBC to bar the said individuals but contrary to expectations, the candidates were allowed to contest for the various political seats with some ending up victorious.

On accountability, a crucial role that Senators play in supervising counties, Lepuchirit said executives in charge of finance were the major perpetrators in misappropriation of funds and that the procurement department is among the hardest hit on graft issues with a number of officers having pending court cases.

In her address to the Senators, Lepuchirit called for a collective effort among various agencies in the fight against corruption.

On the Commission’s achievements, Lepuchirit pointed out that EACC had recruited 400 staff that will help in speeding up cases before the anti-graft body.

The week-long Senators’ induction is expected to conclude Friday paving way for resumption of House sittings slated for next Tuesday.

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