Leadership rises and falls on integrity, says EACC Chairperson
10:11:2025: The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Chairperson, Dr. David Oginde, has called on leaders in both the public and private sectors to anchor their work in integrity, describing it as “the critical marker of leadership.”
Speaking on November 4, 2025, at the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Kenya 22nd Internal Audit Seminar in Mombasa, Dr. Oginde said that while everything in an institution rises and falls on leadership, “leadership itself rises and falls on integrity.”
Using the image of a pilot in a cockpit, he illustrated how integrity determines the course of leadership. “Just as mishandling aircraft controls can bring down a plane, a leader without integrity endangers everyone under their care,” he said, reminding delegates that leaders carry the lives, trust, and futuresof those they serve.
Dr. Oginde likened integrity to a “true north” that guides decisions, anticipates turbulence, and ensures actions remain aligned with purpose. “No plane ever takes off without a flight plan,” he observed, emphasizing the importance of foresight and moral grounding in leadership.
He added that turbulence is the ultimate test of character. Like a skilled pilot who stays calm under pressure, leaders and auditors must resist the temptation to alter reports, overlook wrongdoing, or suppress uncomfortable findings. “Integrity,” he said, “is a deliberate choice, shaped by conviction rather than convenience.”
Positioning auditors as navigators and co-pilots, Dr. Oginde noted that they provide the steady guidance that keeps institutions lawful, transparent, and ethical. When organizations ignore their auditors, or when auditors compromise their standards, the results can be catastrophic. Quoting C.S. Lewis, he said: “Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching,”describing auditors as the unseen guardians of what is expected.
He urged Boards and Chief Executives to model integrity, strengthen internal audit functions, and cultivate teams that refuse to normalize even “small” acts of dishonesty. Drawing parallels between EACC and a control tower, Dr. Oginde explained that the Commission helps institutions “take off and land safely” through corruption risk assessments and systems reviews, and encouraged participants to make full use of this support.
Reflecting on the aircraft’s black box, he invited auditors to ask themselves whether the record of their decisions would reveal integrity once their “planes land.” Citing Billy Graham, he concluded: “When wealth is lost, nothing is lost. When health is lost, something is lost. But when character is lost, all is lost.”
The Chairperson closed with a reminder: “Every plane, no matter how high it flies, must eventually land. The true measure of leadership is not in the take-off, but in the landing, in finishing well, with character intact.”
