Anti-graft agency launches voter bribery hotline

By Caroline Rwenji

NAIROBI; KENYA: The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has issued a hotline number where the public can report cases of bribery during the campaign period. EACC Vice-chairperson Irene Keino said the law would catch up with those receiving and giving bribes during the campaigns.

“The mood in the air is political campaigns, and this is a corruption peak period,” she said yesterday at the commission’s offices at the Integrity Centre, Nairobi.

Rapid response

She said they would have access to a rapid response team responding to reports on bribery.

“Sting operations will be carried out and the matters will be treated like any other corruption offences and forwarded to court,” Ms Keino added.

She encouraged Kenyans to use hotline numbers 0727285663 and 0733520641 to report cases of politicians bribing the public to gain support. The public are also urged to use the commission’s Twitter and Facebook accounts. EACC, she said is now an official election observer after partnering with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Its staff will be deployed to various constituencies to monitor the elections and report cases of corruption. They will be in civilian attire.