The Kisii County Government has embarked on a corruption risk assessment as a measure to prevent the vice.
Today , Governor James Ongwae signed the Corruption Risk Assessment Action Plan in a brief ceremony witnessed by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officials.
The action plan outlines specific actions to be effected between now and June next year. EACC Deputy Director David Kangara represented the CEO Halakhe Waqo.
The first action will be the establishment and operationalization of a Corruption Prevention Committee (CPC) to comprise the Governor as the chair and County Executive Committee Members. The committee is expected to streamline anti-corruption initiatives in the County.
“Combating corruption is a collective responsibility for people in Government and in the private sector. The corruption risk assessment is a preventive measure that is implemented by both County and National Governments,” said Ongwae.
Other actions include developing, cascading and implementing approved annual procurement plans, establishing corruption reporting mechanisms in the County and setting up independent audit committees.
“We shall develop and implement departmental service charters which are contracts between a government and the people. The charters indicate what we intend to do and what citizens are expected to do. The documents will be disseminated to the public at all service points,” explained Governor Ongwae.
The County will also set up and operationalize a public complaints and feedback mechanism as well as sensitize county staff and the public on breaking the networks of corruption.
The signing of the risk assessment action plan was a culmination of the Anti-Corruption week in Kisii County. Later, Governor Ongwae and his deputy led senior County Government officials, members of the public and EACC officials in a procession through Kisii Town as part of celebrations to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day, 2015.
Addressing residents before the start of the procession, Governor Ongwae said corruption was a vice that needed the input of all stakeholders to eradicate. He said his administration backed efforts by the National Government to combat corruption.
In a speech read on his behalf by Deputy Governor Joash Maangi at the Gusii Stadium, Governor Ongwae said all public officers in the County Government had signed a code of conduct and ethics to boost integrity.
