Ringera resigns from KACC

Roseleen Nzioka

Embattled director of the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission Justice Aaron Ringera finally bowed to public pressure and resigned.

Mr Ringera announced his decision to his staff before addressing a Press conference that was transmitted live on national television.

He announced that he and his deputy Mrs Fatuma Sichale had tendered their resignation letters to President Mwai Kibaki. The other deputy Dr Smokin Wanjala, quit two weeks ago.

Assistant director in charge of Investigations and Asset Recovery Dr John Mutonyi shall head Kacc in an acting capacity.

Justice Aaron Ringera

The move comes hot on the heels of sustained pressure from the KACC advisory board, civil society and Kenyans for him and his deputies to step down following their controversial re-appointment by President Kibaki.

MPs accused President Kibaki of disregarding the law in appointing Mr Ringera without consultation with the KACC advisory board and Parliament and threatened to cut off KACC funding unless the appointments were rescinded.

At the press conference held at Integrity Centre in Nairobi, Ringera turned spiritual, quoting Ecclesiastes: "There is a time for everything," and that it was time for him to exit.

Ringera said he was leaving KACC with his head held high: "We have discharged our mandate with integrity, courage….and have conducted ourselves with utmost professionalism."

Ringera said he and his team had managed to forward for prosecution over 500 corruption cases which they had so far investigated, including ministers, MPs and Permanent Secretaries.

He enumerated various proposals for the way forward for KACC to successfully eradicate corruption, strongly advocating for a review of the legal framework within which KACC operates. Key among the proposals is for KACC to have powers to prosecute the cases it investigates.