Economy

Haji now shifts to private sector in corruption war

haji

Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The next phase of anti-graft war will see a number of private sector players facing charges, Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji has said, as attention shifts to accomplices in corruption cases.

The DPP, who declined to disclose the identity of private individuals on his list, said his office had recommended action be taken on those found culpable.

“I have not prosecuted any corruption case within the public sector that does not have the hand of the private sector. Yet private sector is pointing fingers at the government officials as though they are the ones who are solely corrupt,” he said.

Speaking at the second Corporate Governance Alumni Summit in Nairobi, Thursday, Mr Haji said lack of ethics among Kenyans is fast eroding the fight against corruption where public officials facing graft charges decline to vacate office. This year’s summit focuses on the interplay between both the public and private sectors and NGO in as far as sustainable and healthy corporate governance environment in concerned.

“The private sector has been burying its head in the sand even when it knows that it is the biggest problem in this. We must be frank with each other about these things. The private sector has continued to perpetuate corruption in government offices by including the 10 per cent ‘tip’ in tenders, kickbacks and proceeds to supply ‘air' to state agencies,” Mr Haji said.

Government officers must serve Kenyans oblivious of their background by ensuring funds are used for the right projects that should also be implemented to the right standards and on time.”

he said.

He said the biggest challenge he faces in prosecuting corruption cases is the lack of ethical standards.

“I was appalled by a particular individual who had already been charged but had the audacity to ask for bail so that he can go and present his credentials to a foreign country on behalf of Kenya. Is that really ethical?” he posed.

Mr Haji said Kenya needs to incorporate training on national values at all levels of education with the law applied effectively to deter perpetrators of corruption.

“If you look at the cases that I have brought before the courts for instance the Kenya Power case we have before court, you’ll see that the private sector itself was involved in unethical behaviour, supplying transformers that are defective and don’t function, and thereby bringing down their own customers that they should be building,” he said.

“It is not only about profit and if we were to make profit at the expense of sustainable ethical environments then we are all going to lose,” he added.