William Ruto, give us men and women who will work for all Kenyans

President-elect William Ruto. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

"When government officials abuse public power for private gain, they do more than simply appropriate illicit wealth. Corruption robs citizens of equal access to vital services, denying the right to quality healthcare, public safety and education. It degrades the business environment, subverts economic opportunity and exacerbates inequality.

"It often contributes to human rights violations and abuses, and can drive migration. As a fundamental threat to the rule of law, corruption hollows out institutions, corrodes public trust, and fuels popular cynicism toward effective, accountable governance".

These are the opening words taken from the first ever United States of America Strategy on Countering Corruption published in December 2021. The strategy looks at corruption as a national security issue.

And as Kenya prepares to usher in the fifth president William Ruto next week, these heavy words should strike a chord with us. Dr Ruto knows that he carries the hopes of a nation on his shoulders, and ahead of his swearing-in next Tuesday, he is aware of the enormous task ahead, and hence the fact that there will be no time for the new Commander-in-Chief to engage in prolonged celebrations.

In this regard, he must, with the help of close aides, be burning the midnight oil as he begins to consider the shape and composition of his government, certainly by beginning to look at eminent names to populate his Cabinet so that he can begin working for Kenyans right from Day One.

As he begins this critical task, it should not be lost on him that the country will be expecting his choices of senior officials to help in steering the nation to be men and women of integrity; individuals with the know-how and energy to deliver on their mandate and fulfill Kenya Kwanza's manifesto and pre-election promises.

Indeed, coming 12 years after the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution, Kenya has come of age to fully implement Chapter Six as envisaged by the framers of our supreme law. Yet these - integrity, character and honour - are ingredients that have been missing in the management of our public affairs, impeding the Government's service delivery.

Dr Ruto, having been the second in command for 10 out of the 12 years of the new constitutional dispensation, he is acutely aware of how far the country has come, and the enormous effort needed to reset its affairs. That is notwithstanding the weighty issues now confronting Kenyans, such as the high cost of living, huge stockpile of national debt and endemic corruption that is choking the nation's economic engines.

It is, therefore, in this light that we urge Dr Ruto to ensure that the men and women of his new administration must not only meet the integrity test, but also have the requisite leadership qualities to steer the country forward at a time of great global dynamism. This will ensure the fight against graft is restarted, and Kenya is put firmly on the growth path to become a respected member of the global community.