The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has voiced opinions regarding the nation's ongoing campaign to stop the sale of illegal and second-generation alcoholic beverages.
The anti-graft body has singled out public officials in the multi-agency vetting team (KRA, KEBS, Police, NACADA, County Government, ACA, NGAO, etc.). The Commission claims that these officials have converted the suitability vetting of bars into an extortion ring, jeopardizing government efforts to combat the threat.
Speaking at Kombo-ini village, Kirinyaga County EACC Spokesperson Eric Ngumbi stated that there have been tidings that certain officials are undermining the vetting process by soliciting or accepting bribes in exchange for approving or vacating enforcement action against bar owners who have disregarded the laws prohibiting the sale of illicit or secondhand alcohol.
The spokeswoman issued a warning, stating that senior officials in charge of the process must guarantee that the vetting is carried out with honesty, openness, accountability, and devoid of corruption. She also noted that any official undermining the government initiative through corruption will face severe consequences.
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In a similar vein, the Commission anticipates that the dealers would adhere closely to the rules established and stop the practice of accepting bribes to avoid detection. They must abide by the rules and notify the EACC of any attempt by a public official to get money from them.
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Ngumbi identified a primary cause of the pervasive problem of drunkenness in the nation: corruption and conflicts of interest among law enforcement personnel running bars.
He encouraged the National Assembly to pass the Conflict of Interest Bill, which is now the House's top priority for finalization, to handle cases where public officials participate in the same firms they are meant to supervise.
