Kenyan leader appoints new anti-graft chief

Kenyan President

Kenyatta said Wabukala would be the Chairman of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for a five-year term.

He succeeded Kinisu who was forced to resign following claims that his family firm was a beneficiary of the 7.91-million U.S. dollar loot from the National Youth Service (NYS), the country’s premier vocational training institute for underprivileged youth involving some of its flagship projects.

Wabukala’s appointment followed approval by the National Assembly and appeared in a special issue of the Kenya Gazette published on Jan. 18.

Official government statement noted that “the President wished Archbishop Wabukala success in his new assignment.

“Wabukala is an eminently qualified and respected leader who will deliver his mandate at the helm of the EACC to the expectations of Kenyans.’’

Kinisu who quit last year said then that the issues bordering on investigations of a firm he was associated to rendered his stay in office impractical.

He, who was barely a year in office, said he made the decision to ensure that due attention was paid to the fight against corruption and to save the country of resources being spent in deliberations on the matter.

He cited the petition filed in the National Assembly where lawmakers sought that the president formed a tribunal to consider his removal from office, as well as a report by the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly which also recommended his removal from office.

Kinisu’s family firm Esaki Ltd supplied goods worth 350,000 U.S. dollars to the NYS over the last three years.

Investigators said there was conflict of interest as Esaki was supplying the NYS while it was under investigation by the anti-graft agency over the 7.91 million dollar supplies scandal.