By WAINAINA NDUNG’U
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has warned governors not to recruit Cabinet members without seeking advice on their integrity.
EACC vice-chair Irene Keino said the commission was concerned that none of the counties had sought its input before advertising for positions of members of County Executive.
“Looking at all this advertisements that lack uniform requirements, there is a real risk of the counties recruiting people who will endanger the public funds being devolved there,” Ms Keino said in Nyeri.
She said the commission would draw up a guide on future recruitments, including those of chief officers of the county government. But county assemblies can still weed out undesirable members because they must approve the Cabinet.
The EACC also announced that it would in future rank the county governments in a corruption index similar to the one it published ranking government ministries and parastatals.
“We expect that Kenyans and stakeholders will use the information in determining how their resources and affairs should be managed,” said Keino, adding that they will recommend that least corrupt counties be offered concessions by the national government.
She expressed fears of corruption in counties following massive resources and lack of structures and systems to ensure accountability.
Keino spoke at a workshop for members of the Mt Kenya branch of the Law Society of Kenya in Nyeri. Nyeri LSK chairman Gatari Ringera said there was apprehension that county governments might entrench corrupt tendencies of defunct local authorities following retention of former county clerks as chief officers.
EACC wants LSK, religious organisations, civil societies and local communities to foster a culture of accountability in the management of public affairs in the devolved units.
But she warned that a few lawyers were still opposing the anti-corruption crusade because of vested interests.
“From experience, every corrupt deal or transaction will at one time or another involve a member of the legal profession,” she warned.
EACC also announced that it would open three new regional offices at Makueni, Nakuru and Isiolo.
