Prevention is better than cure, EACC tells public institutions
06:03:2023: “Prevention is better than cure,” was the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission’s message when it launched a one-week capacity-building program for staff and management of the Kenya Pipeline Company at Morendat Training and Conference Centre in Naivasha. The weeklong program that ran from 6th-10th March 2023, was organized by the National Integrity Academy (NIAca), the training wing of EACC headed by Dr. Josphine Monyi.
While officially launching the program, EACC Commissioner Dr. Mutuku urged public officers to be diligent in service delivery noting that they hold their offices in trust for the people. Public officers, Dr. Mutuku said, should at all times desist from corrupt and unethical conduct, as a moral duty on their part.
She noted that EACC’s experience in combating graft and several reports published by the agency revealed that corruption was primarily caused by a negative culture, greed, conflict of interest and a dilapidated moral fabric.
Commissioner Mutuku took note of the sensitive nature of KPC’s services, which she said were susceptible to corruption, and urged the company to continuously review its institutional integrity framework and organizational culture.
“I acknowledge that your systems are particularly susceptible to corruption due to the large amounts of resources involved, information asymmetry, a large number of actors, system complexity and fragmentation, and the globalized nature of the supply chain during the importation of oil and gas,” Dr. Mutuku said.
She called for the adoption of appropriate interventions that embed ethical leadership, good governance, transparency and accountability in the administration and management of KPC services.
Dr. Mutuku reiterated the Commission’s strategy to fight vices that undermine service to the public, principally focusing on high-impact investigations, asset tracing, recovery and forfeiture of unexplained wealth, corruption prevention and partnership approach.
She reiterated the need for all public officers to exercise selfless leadership, and professionalism and to uphold high standards of integrity and ethics, adding that the EACC was committed to working with all public institutions to build their capacity to prevent corruption.
Dr. Mutuku was accompanied by the South Rift Regional head, Mr. Ignatious Wekesa, the National Integrity Academy head, Dr. Josphine Monyi, and other EACC officers in facilitating the weeklong programme.
The National Integrity Academy (NIAca) undertakes specialized training for all institutions in both the public and private sectors.
