City Hall staff in Nairobi may soon be required to undergo regular integrity tests after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) urged the county government to tighten its anti-graft controls.
In a report titled Institutionalization of Ethics and Integrity and the Role of the Media, published on 21 November 2018, the commission said the measure should be targeted at departments and sectors most exposed to corruption.
Risk controls and accountability ¶
EACC acting assistant director for Ethics and Leadership, Erick Munyao, said Nairobi County should build the requirement into contracts for its more than 13,000 workers as a deterrent against corruption.
He also called for a risk assessment of operational areas to identify corruption hotspots, alongside the creation of an ethics and integrity department to develop, implement and enforce anti-corruption strategies.
“Nairobi county government should develop a mechanism for holding heads of units responsible for corruption and unethical conduct in their units,” said Mr Munyao.
According to the commission, complaints from the public about corruption in the county had reduced, a development it linked to the county’s current anti-graft efforts.
Sonko’s crackdown ¶
The EACC said the county leadership had shown stronger commitment to fighting corruption than the previous regime, pointing to ongoing action against officials suspected of misconduct.
Governor Mike Sonko had by then sacked or suspended 40 City Hall staff, including senior officials, in cases tied to corruption allegations.
Among those suspended more than two months earlier were Chief of Staff Brian Mugo, acting Chief Finance Officer Ekaya Alumasi, county employee John Ojwang and acting head of county Treasury Stephen Mutua.
More than 30 procurement staff had also been suspended over similar allegations as Sonko vowed to clear cartels from City Hall.
