Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has called on Kenyans to take a firm and lawful stand against graft, urging citizens to play a direct role in confronting the vice whenever it occurs.
Koskei said the war against graft must be anchored in a culture shift that makes the vice shameful and unacceptable in society. He emphasised that rejecting corruption should go beyond words to deliberate action by individuals at all levels.
The chief of staff urged members of the public not to remain silent when faced with corrupt practices.
“Let us make it so shameful and unfashionable for anyone not only to think about corruption but also to proceed and engage in it,” he noted.
“If you see corruption, interrupt it – question it, challenge it, refuse to participate; Disrupt it – report it through the established legal channels and oversight mechanisms; and Stop it by standing firm, refusing to be compromised, and collaborating with oversight bodies,” he continued.
The call from the Head of Public Service comes amid government efforts to end corruption through a combined effort of new legislation, institutional reforms, technological integration, and public accountability drives.
President William Ruto signed into law the Conflict of Interest Act, 2025, an act that aimed to introduce stricter rules for public officers, including mandatory wealth declarations every two years. The act also bans self-dealing and requires every public officer to recuse themselves from decisions involving their private interests.
The National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) also launched an anti-corruption strategic guiding framework to enhance the efficiency, coordination, and effectiveness of investigations, prosecutions, and asset recovery within the justice sector.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) unveiled the Kenya Integrity Plan (KIP) 2023-2028 to strengthen legal frameworks and promote integrity in both public and private sectors.
The government also digitised its services through eCitizen, a move it says increased transparency, reduced corruption, and improved collection of revenues.
According to the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International, Kenya scored 32 out of 100, a score reflecting the public sector perceived to be highly corrupt.
Despite the public knowledge of the existence of government strategies to curb graft, it remains unconvinced, mainly by their practical impact, pointing to ongoing scandals and continued personal experiences with bribery as evidence that more effective and independent action is needed.
