Cherargei: Parliament has done its part, anti-corruption agencies must act

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has blamed Kenya's anti-corruption agencies for failing to act on corruption cases already documented by Parliament, saying the lack of action has allowed billions of shillings meant for public services to continue being lost through misuse and waste.

Speaking on Radio Generation on Monday, Cherargei said the Senate has, over the years, submitted recommendations on suspected corruption in county governments, but many of the cases have not progressed to investigations or prosecutions. He argued that oversight efforts by Parliament have produced detailed reports, yet the agencies responsible for enforcing the law have not delivered results.

"I hope you have seen young people insisting that the biggest failure in the fight against corruption is the gatekeepers. I can take you to the Senate. We have made recommendations, even on the Mandera issue and other cases," he said.

The senator said reports examined by Senate oversight committees have exposed repeated cases of questionable spending in counties, including inflated procurement, ghost workers and unnecessary expenses that continue to drain public funds.

"How do you give Sh5 million to open a Speaker's house? That is like five ECD classrooms that can educate many children. In Mandera, how do you buy a Christmas tree for Sh3.6 million? In Nandi, they were paying Sh41 million for car leasing while leaving county vehicles idle," he said.

Cherargei maintained that institutions charged with fighting corruption, including the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), already have enough information from parliamentary reports but have failed to take firm action.

"All those institutions have the facts on the table, but in this country the same people who are supposed to investigate corruption sometimes frustrate the process. We have made recommendations to the EACC, but they must tell Kenyans what they are doing with them," he said.

He argued that if recommendations contained in audit reports and Senate findings had been acted upon promptly, many county leaders would already have been prosecuted.

"If the EACC was functional today, the 47 governors would be in jail from generation one of devolution. I have sat in the Public Accounts Committee for the last eight years and I can tell you without fear of contradiction that whichever governor you know, the audit reports reveal serious issues," he said.

The senator also questioned the slow pace of handling major corruption cases, pointing to the Sh1.5 billion Ruaraka land scandal as an example of delayed accountability. He said investigations and prosecutions should continue regardless of whether those involved are still in office.

"We were following the Sh1.5 billion Ruaraka land issue years ago. If the EACC had acted then, we would not be discussing recovery today. That money must be recovered and returned to Kenyans so it can provide drugs, roads and other essential services," he said.

Cherargei further called for increased funding for the Judiciary to help speed up the hearing and determination of corruption cases. He said suspects often spend years in court before cases are concluded, adding that anti-corruption trials should be completed within 24 months.

He urged all institutions tasked with fighting corruption to show measurable progress, saying Kenyans expect action that leads to the recovery of stolen public funds and greater accountability in the management of public resources.