Sh2bn graft cash channelled to coronavirus fight
A multi-agency team fighting corruption has handed a Sh2 billion cheque acquired from graft proceeds to the National Treasury to help the fight against coronavirus, after an order by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji, Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission Chief Executive Twalib Mbarak, and Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti handed over the cheque to Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani.
"I want to tell you that this is just the beginning. We are not leaving anything to chance and we appeal to all groups to chip in," Mr Yatani told journalists at Treasury Building, Nairobi.
He said that the funds will go to the newly established Covid-19 Response Fund chaired by Jane Karuku.
"Our plan is to use these funds as a second buffer. When we are done with measures from the national budget, then we will use these funds to cushion ourselves," he said.
The economic package was announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday as the government seeks to block the movement of people outside the Nairobi metropolitan area as well as Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale counties.
“As we scale up our interventions against the current health pandemic, I direct the National Treasury to utilize the Sh2 billion of already recovered corruption proceeds to support the most vulnerable members of our society, especially the needy in our urban areas. Our fight in this area continues,” President Kenyatta told the nation from State House, Nairobi on Monday.
As of yesterday, there were 158 confirmed cases in Kenya with six deaths.
At the press conference, Mr Yatani said consultations were already on in making sure that all arms of government respond to calls for re-allocation of foreign and domestic travel funds in the Executive, Parliament and the Judiciary.
"These are extraordinary times when all arms of government should come together to fight this virus.
As it stands, we do not expect any individual government department having a problem with these measures," the Treasury CS said.
He said that the ministry was working to re-align the budget to not only help the efforts in the health sector, but also cushion the most vulnerable, including the old, and those depending on daily wages, especially in the informal settlements in urban centres.
"Covid-19 touches every aspect of our economy, and we are not leaving anything to chance to try as much as possible to mitigate these effects," Mr Yatani said.
Mr Haji, the lead public prosecutor, said that about 6,000 remandees involved in petty crimes in an effort to decongest the prisons. This, however, will not affect the dispense of justice, with the focus now on serious crimes and the improved use of technology.
He described Kilifi deputy governor Gideon Saburi as having "an evil intent."
"We cannot talk about de-congestion when it comes to a serious crime as the one the deputy governor committed. He needs to be prosecuted," he said.
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