Continental anti-corruption research centre launched in Nairobi
AAACA President General Hisham El-Rakaybi signs the visitors’ book during the launch of the Africa Anti-Corruption Studies and Research Centre (CEREAC) in Nairobi on Wednesday. Looking on are EACC Chairperson David Oginde, Attorney General Dorcas Oduor, and EACC CEO Abdi Mohamud.
18:06:2026: The Africa Anti-Corruption Studies and Research Centre (CEREAC), a new continental institution dedicated to anti-corruption research, policy development, and capacity building, was launched in Nairobi on Wednesday during the 8th Annual General Assembly of the Association of African Anti-Corruption Authorities (AAACA).
The Centre is expected to serve as a continental hub for research, policy development, capacity building, and knowledge sharing on anti-corruption and governance issues, generating data and insights to inform context-specific solutions across Africa.
The event was presided over by the Attorney General, Dorcas Oduor, who represented President William Ruto.
In a speech delivered on his behalf, President Ruto underscored the need for African-led and evidence-driven solutions to address corruption and governance challenges facing the continent. He commended AAACA for its growth into one of Africa’s leading platforms for cooperation, knowledge-sharing, capacity building, and collective action against corruption.
The President noted that the establishment of CEREAC reflects growing recognition that effective anti-corruption efforts require multidisciplinary expertise beyond traditional law enforcement approaches.
“This Centre embodies an important truth: that the fight against corruption requires not only investigators, prosecutors, auditors, and judges, but also researchers, economists, data scientists, governance experts, policy practitioners, and academic institutions capable of generating evidence-based solutions to increasingly complex governance challenges,” he said.
Speaking during the event, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud expressed gratitude to AAACA member institutions for entrusting Kenya with the responsibility of hosting both the 8th General Assembly and the newly established Centre.
Mohamud traced the journey that culminated in the launch of CEREAC, noting that the decision to establish the Centre was first adopted during the 5th AAACA Annual General Assembly held in Bujumbura, Burundi, in June 2022.
The Centre was formally established during the 6th General Assembly in Johannesburg, South Africa, in August 2023, before Kenya was unanimously selected as the host country during an Extraordinary Virtual General Assembly in January 2024.
The final resolution to officially launch the Centre in Kenya was adopted during the 7th AAACA General Assembly held in Algiers, Algeria, in July 2025.
“CEREAC will serve as AAACA’s research and analytical arm. Endowed with legal personality and administrative and financial autonomy, the Centre represents a major step forward in strengthening evidence-based anti-corruption policy, research, capacity building, and knowledge sharing across the continent,” Mohamud said.
EACC Chairperson David Oginde welcomed the establishment of the Centre, saying it would help bridge knowledge gaps in the fight against corruption by providing a platform for research into the drivers and enablers of corruption.
He said the Centre would facilitate the development of interventions tailored to Africa’s governance realities and development aspirations.
AAACA President General Hisham El Rakaybi called for sustained collaboration among anti-corruption agencies across the continent, emphasizing the need for collective action against corruption and illicit financial flows.
The 8th AAACA Annual General Assembly brought together delegates from 45 anti-corruption institutions from 43 African countries. Kenya is hosting the Assembly for the first time since the establishment of the Association.
The conference, which began on June 16, provided a platform for member institutions to review progress in the fight against corruption, strengthen regional cooperation, and chart the future direction of AAACA.
The Assembly concludes on Thursday with the election of new office bearers and the adoption of resolutions aimed at strengthening anti-corruption cooperation across Africa.
