Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service Felix Koskei has issued a strong call to the public to take an active role in the fight against corruption, urging citizens to confront and reject corrupt practices wherever they encounter them.
Speaking during a public engagement, Koskei said the fight against corruption could not be won by government institutions alone and required the full participation of citizens acting within the law.
He challenged Kenyans to help create a culture in which corruption is socially unacceptable and actively resisted.
“I am calling on the public to take a stand against corruption, firmly, clearly, and within the full confines of the law,” Koskei said.
“Let us make it so shameful and unfashionable for anyone not only to think about corruption but also to proceed and engage in it.”
The Chief of Staff emphasised that ordinary citizens have a critical role to play in preventing corruption, particularly in everyday interactions with public officials and service providers.
He urged Kenyans not to remain silent or complicit when confronted with unethical conduct.
“If you see corruption: Interrupt it — question it, challenge it, refuse to participate; Disrupt it — report it through the established legal channels and oversight mechanisms; and Stop it — by standing firm, refusing to be compromised, and collaborating with oversight bodies,” he said.
Koskei noted that corruption continues to undermine service delivery, economic growth and public trust in institutions, despite sustained efforts by enforcement agencies.
He said empowering citizens to act responsibly and lawfully could significantly strengthen existing anti-corruption measures.
His remarks come amid renewed government emphasis on accountability and integrity in public service, with authorities seeking to reinforce both preventive and punitive approaches to graft.
Koskei said while investigative and prosecutorial agencies play a central role, lasting progress would only be achieved if citizens themselves rejected corruption in principle and practice.
He also cautioned that confronting corruption must be done strictly within the law, warning against vigilantism or actions that could compromise due process.
Reporting suspected wrongdoing through recognised channels, he said, protects both whistleblowers and the integrity of investigations.
The Chief of Staff reiterated that collaboration between the public and oversight institutions was essential to dismantling entrenched networks of corruption.
He said collective action, grounded in legal and ethical standards, could help restore confidence in public institutions and ensure that resources meant for development benefit all citizens.
