EACC refutes claims of regional bias in corruption investigations

EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud. [File, Standard]

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has dismissed claims that it targets specific regions in its investigations, insisting that all probes are guided strictly by law and policy, not politics or geography.

Speaking on the matter, EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud stated that the commission does not single out any region for investigation, including northern Kenya, as has been alleged in recent public discourse. 

He explained that EACC investigations are prioritised based on three key criteria: the level of public interest involved, the amount of public funds at stake, and the profile of the individuals implicated.

“We do not isolate regions, and we do not conduct investigations based on politics,” Mohamud said, adding that all inquiries are conducted in line with the commission’s investigative policy and the law.

He termed it unfair to label any one region as more corrupt than others without credible statistics, noting that corruption is a widespread challenge affecting all parts of the country. 

“To zero in on one region is unjustified. The problem of corruption exists everywhere,” he said.

Mohamud revealed that the commission has conducted numerous investigations across the northern counties and that several files have already been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). 

These include recommendations to charge senior officials, among them a city governor and other high-ranking county officials.

He cautioned against politicising corruption issues or portraying challenges in northern Kenya as isolated or minor, arguing that such an approach misrepresents the scale of the problem nationwide. 

While acknowledging that the region faces unique historical and governance challenges, he stressed that these should not be used to unfairly single it out.

According to the EACC boss, investigations are currently ongoing in all five northern counties, underscoring the commission’s commitment to tackling corruption across the country without discrimination.

“Let us not isolate one region as if corruption is a peculiar problem there alone. Our work is national, and our mandate applies equally to all,” Mohamud said.