Uhuru warns private sector of jail, asset freezes for graft

President Uhuru Kenyatta has warned private sector players that engage in bribery or corruption that they, too, will face prosecution and jail time.

The warning comes days after similar cautions to State officers were followed by a massive purge of corruption suspects in various arms of Government.

The Head of State said “corruption is a two-way street” often involving both public officials and private sector players. He said plans were underway to make giving bribes as much of an offence as taking them.

“I have given directives to the Attorney General to amend our laws so that those who pay bribes are also targeted, prosecuted and jailed,” he said.

The President added that companies proven to have given a bribe will be blacklisted and will never participate in Government tendering processes.

He said the changes will also include provisions allowing prosecutors to freeze the accounts of corruption suspects to prevent them from using their ill-gotten wealth to obstruct justice.

“If found guilty, a suspect’s assets will be seized to recover what was stolen from the public,” President Kenyatta said.

The President spoke at State House, Nairobi, during a roundtable bringing together the Executive and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa).

The Head of State said besides the ‘reality of corruption’, there was the ‘perception of justice’ and there were companies that engage in practices that create perceptions of corruption to defeat genuine competition.

Such companies include those who use courts to sabotage tendering processes where they have lost through a fair process.

“If you lodge a case in court and it is proved that you filed the case just to sabotage your competitor, you will be blacklisted and you will never participate in any tendering process in Kenya,” said the President.

Deputy President William Ruto said the Jubilee administration was ready to pay any price to rid the Government of corruption.

“Every public official must measure up to the integrity test,” he said. “Either you work as a public servant or you go and do private things.

The Deputy President emphasised that there will be no half-measures in the fight against corruption.

Kepsa chairman Vimal Shah said the association supports the Government’s anti-corruption drive and was ready to play its role.

“Investors love destinations that are corruption-free because they are assured that their money will compete in a fair environment,” he said.

The roundtable addressed issues ranging from taxation on raw materials to how the private sector was benefitting from bilateral agreements Kenya has entered into since President Kenyatta came into office. The meeting was attended by Cabinet Secretaries and senior government officials. -- PSCU