Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS), Professor Ntiba Micheni, has called for implementation of anti-corruption studies in Kenya’s education curriculum.
The professor was speaking in Nakuru during a meeting between officials of the National Anti-Corruption Campaign Steering Committee on October 13.
The CAS observed that parents should do their part by instilling values of hard work, integrity and honesty in their children.
CAS Micheni emphasized the need to promote anti-corruption activities and a culture of integrity, right from kindergartens to tertiary institutions, to make Kenya a corrupt-free nation.
“We want to inculcate in Kenya a culture that is fiercely against corruption. We believe that once people are taught ethics at a tender age, it will help them grow up with morals and when they have morality, it helps in fighting corruption,” he noted.
The CAS also stated that Kenyans need to stop viewing corruption as a way of seeking favours from public and private entities or making quick money and amassing wealth without effort.
“When an education system and parents instil in young minds such values, children will grow up appreciating transparency, accountability and respect for rule of law. Adults should stop paying bribes while seeking services, to win tenders, to avoid arrest or secure jobs or promotions at workplaces,” the CAS stated.
He also highlighted that the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice was working with faith-based institutions in the fight against graft, as corruption can be checked with a change in attitude.
CAS Micheni has also urged students in institutions of higher learning and residents, to form Anti-Corruption clubs and work closely with County Anti-Corruption Civilian Oversight Committees (CACCOC).
He added that there are plans to roll out the CACCOCs to cover the whole country which will be undertaken in the next financial year, adding that if every citizen was part of the movement, corruption will be outdated and our country would register tremendous economic growth.
Also in attendance was Nakuru Deputy Governor, Eric Korir who called upon relevant state agencies, to closely monitor financial dealings of politicians and their allies, in a bid to stop corruption as the country approaches next year’s General Election.
Korir was keen to point out that the culture of cash handouts by politicians to voters during electioneering period was a significant contributor to graft, adding that there was an urgent need to plug all loopholes used by corrupt individuals, to steal public funds through proxies.
Also present at the event, was The Director to National Anti-Corruption Campaign Steering Committee, David Gathi, who highlighted that in some cases, public projects are implemented without properly constituted management committees, a situation he observed promoted graft.
