NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 21- Opposition Chief Raila Odinga says the war on graft must go on despite resistance from a section of politicians, who claim their community is being targeted.
Odinga has urged all Kenyans to support President Uhuru Kenyatta in ensuring the dragon of corruption is tamed, more so now that they have agreed to work closely after the handshake.
Recently, the country has witnessed a renewed war on the menace, with various heads of Government agencies arrested and taken to court, unlike before when only juniors officials were targeted.
“Those who steal do it on their own behalf and not of the communities they come from,” he said.
“Corruption has greatly impacted negatively on our economy. Those involved should not be called corrupt. They are thieves.”
His calls have been supported by leaders drawn from his ODM party like Senator James Orengo.
“What Raila Odinga and President Uhuru (Kenyatta) want to do is eradicate the menace for our Kenya to grow,” Senator Orengo said.
The sweeping arrests and prosecutions by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Director of Public Prosecutions have sent shock waves across government offices, as officials in departments under investigation wait for their turn.
The latest was the prosecution of 14 officials from Kenya Power—among them Ken Tarus who served as Managing Director and his predecessor Ben Chumo—as well as directors of Muwa Trading, a firm accused of supplying faulty transformers to the power utility firm.
At the NYS, 54 suspects, among them former Permanent Secretary for Youth Affairs Lilian Omolo and the youth firm’s Director General Richard Ndubai were charged and later sacked, over the loss of some Sh468 million paid out to private firms, including some that did not supply anything.
“We are not targeting any specific individual or department,” DCI boss George Kinoti told Capital FM News, “We are fulfilling our mandate and that is what we do. Those who find themselves in trouble with the law should clear their names in court.”
The DCI and the DPP’s office headed by Noordin Haji seem to gel down well, in combination efforts that have seen top officials from the National Youth Service and the Kenya Power charged with corruption over loss of public funds.
There is already a multi-agency team drawing officers from the DCI, DPP and the Attorney General’s office, that is working to ensure suspected corrupt officials are brought to book.