Workers fail to defend wealth

Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Noordin Haji (left) flanked by The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission of Kenya EACC Chairman Eliud Wabukhala address a press conference when he paid a courtesy call at the institution on 18/04/2018. [Photo Willis Awandu/Standard]

Nearly a third of public servants have failed to account for their wealth in the ongoing lifestyle audit intended to enhance the war against corruption.

This is a significant proportion considering State employees who fail the integrity test are likely to be sacked.

Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua however said most of the targeted workers, estimated at 70 per cent, had proved to be diligent.

“We are finding that many of the civil servants are good people who can account for everything they own and how they came to own it,” Mr Kinyua said, adding the audit could be completed in another four weeks.

Over-ambitious

Kinyua admitted that the State might have been over-ambitious in its earlier timelines when it announced the appraisal would be completed in a month following a presidential directive.

About 1,000 senior procurement and accounting officers are under an investigation that also extends to all ministries, departments and agencies.

Kinyua was speaking at the Supreme Court, during the assumption of office of Stephen Kirogo as the chairman of the Public Service Commission.

Chief Justice David Maraga, who was present at the ceremony, singled out the Ministry of Lands as “most problematic”.

Land transactions

Mr Maraga directed Mr Kirogo to rein in fraudulent land transactions relating to the issuance of multiple title deeds.

“We have a huge problem with the lands office. We are receiving cases where a piece of land has two or three title deeds and the courts are engaged to determine the rightful owner,” said the Chief Justice.

He said multiple allocations had deterred investors, specifically from the diaspora, who had been conned in irregular land buying transactions.

Efforts by such buyers to execute due diligence before committing their money were often defeated by unscrupulous officials with forgeries persented as legitimate ownership documents.

“If you can help us with this then we will be very happy,” Maraga said.

“Banks have been left with worthless sheets of paper in the form of fake title deeds, which have previously been used as collateral to access credit.” 

Kirogo was appointed to replace Margaret Kobia, who is now the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs