Commission Chairperson Archbishop (Rtd) Eliud Wabukala has reiterated that the 106 individuals named in its report submitted to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) are not fit to stand for elections/COURTESY
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 14 – The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has called upon Kenyans to exercise their right to vote responsibly and ensure those indicted for falling short of the constitutional provisions on leadership and integrity are not elected.
Commission Chairperson Archbishop (Rtd) Eliud Wabukala has reiterated that the 106 individuals named in its report submitted to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) are not fit to stand for elections.
“EACC has sought to ensure that only people who meet the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution are cleared to vie for elective positions,” Archbishop Wabukala said Tuesday.
“We’ve submitted to the IEBC a list of 106 individuals whom we thought and think ought not to be allowed to contest for political seats due to outstanding issues in line with the law. I therefore embrace upon the heart of every Kenyan to take responsibility and elect people that can be entrusted with the resources of this great nation,” the retired head of the Anglican Church added.
Archbishop Wabukala who was speaking during the ongoing National Elections Conference tagged “Working Together Towards a Credible and Peaceful General Election,” also said the commission will keep a close eye on all public entities during the post-election transition period to ensure resources are not misappropriated.
“We shall monitor the transition process to ensure that public resources are not plundered by those who are hell-bent on taking advantage of the transition period to deep their fingers into the public coffers,” he said.
He also indicated that the EACC shall follow-up on candidates’ adherence to integrity laws by ensuring those pursuing public offices live by the dictates of the Chapter Six on the Republic’s supreme law and other provisions including the Leadership and Integrity Act (2012).
According to Wabukala, those cleared to run for elective posts as well as those appointed to public office will hitherto be under tight scrutiny of the anti-graft agency in collaboration with other state agencies to ensure corruption is rooted out.
“We shall continue to provide all information requested or which we consider useful to IEBC to determine the integrity and suitability of all political aspirants,” he said.
All leaders elected on August 8 according to Wabukala will also be required to sign and commit to the leadership and integrity code in line with its enabling law – the Leadership and Integrity Act (2012).
Wabukala’s statement comes against the backdrop of calls by a section of Civil Society Organizations under the auspices of the National Integrity Alliance (NIA) which includes Transparency International – Kenya (TI-K), Society for International Development (SID), Inuka ni Sisi and Mzalendo Trust for barring of indicted candidates from the polls.
“We call on all the vetting institutions under the Chapter Six Working Group to uphold the right of the public to relevant information on all the unethical candidates listed by the EACC and all the other members of the working group to enable voters make informed choices at the ballot,” TI-K’s Executive Director Samuel Kimeu said Thursday last week during a media breakfast.
His counterpart – SID Associate Director Houghton Irungu – at the time called upon voters to elect leaders of integrity saying time had come to stop looting of public funds.
“We’ve seen too much hemorrhage of public resources over the last five years. If there’s a moment in which Kenyans need to raise up and take the responsibility for electing leaders of integrity then this is the moment,” he said while noting theft of public resources had taken place at either levels of government – national and county.
The National Elections Conference ends on Wednesday.
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