EACC conducts virtual training for public officers to combat graft

EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

The outbreak of Covid-19 in the country forced organisations to embrace technology for virtual meetings and training.

Among institutions that changed tack in public awareness training is the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). 

EACC's Education and Public Awareness Department uses outreach programmes to create awareness mainly targeting public officers and schools. 

Commission CEO Twalib Mbarak said the virtual trainings ensure continuity of the programme without exposing staff to the disease.

“Many government institutions have scaled down operations and staff isolated. EACC is mandated to ensure corruption prevention committees are established in government ministries, departments and agencies to help fight graft,” said Mbarak.

The commission is mandated through the Leadership and Integrity Act, Public Offices Ethics and Chapter Six to train the institutions.

“For State corporations, the CEO will be the chair while the trained officer to undertake the training, will be the secretary. We have received requests from many institutions, which have not gone through the training,” said Mbarak.

The commission’s boss said they received requests for training which they conducted virtually.

“The classes have been successful and we will issue certificates. This is aimed at combating the spread of Covid-19.”

Initially EACC conducted training in hotels, other public venues and visited schools to sensitise teachers and students on ethics and integrity.

The commission’s mandate is to combat corruption through public education training. EACC managed to train 1,100 public officers during the Covid-19 period.

The training of public officers is a joint initiative of the Directorate of Personnel Management (DPM), EACC and the Office of the President.

The concept was founded through creation of the Public Service Integrity Programme (PSIP) for purpose of mainstreaming corruption prevention in the public service.

The three institutions established the training of Integrity Assurance Officers (IAOs) and Corruption Prevention Committees.    

In May 2003, with the enactment of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act and the Public Officers Ethics Act, the three institutions also launched a sourcebook for corruption prevention in the public sector.

The source book became a reference material for the PSIP programme by providing modules and the course work in the training of IAOs and Corruption Prevention Committees (CPC).