President Ruto Calls On Kenyans To Unite Against Corruption

BY ERIC ABUGA

President William Ruto has urged all public agencies in Kenya to join forces in confronting corruption.

The Head of State says the vice is stifling service delivery and preventing the country from fully realising its potential.

Addressing delegates during the official opening of the 9th Edition of the Devolution Conference at Homa Bay High School in Homa Bay County, Ruto lamented that, despite various reforms intended to transform the lives of citizens, corruption continues to undermine progress.

“Transformation is being undermined by corruption. I invite all agencies to join me in fighting this vice. Those suspected of corruption must not be shielded from prosecution.”

The President challenged leaders and public officers to manage available resources prudently pointing out that efficiency and integrity were more important than the sheer volume of resources at their disposal.

“While we may not have all the resources we desire, we have enough to deliver meaningful services to our people. Our greatest challenge is not the inadequacy of resources, but how we utilise what we have. Are we directing them to the right purposes? Are we deploying them efficiently? How much is lost to waste and corruption? And what concrete measures are we putting in place to seal leakages, curb misuse and enhance efficiency? These are the hard questions we must confront with candour, courage and urgency.”

President William Ruto (Courtesy)

Commending both county governments and county assemblies for their collaboration with the national administration, President Ruto called on citizens to deepen their commitment to devolution.

“I challenge every leader and citizen to renew our commitment to the spirit of devolution, invest in people-first policies and programmes, ensure every shilling has an impact and bring government services closer to the people,” he appealed.

He reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to ensuring that devolution is fully realised, stating that Kenya’s growth must start from the grassroots.

“Despite operating within a tight fiscal space, the government has honoured its commitment to timely disbursements, clearing all balances owed to counties for the just-ended financial year,” he said. “This ensures that counties have the fiscal capacity, institutional infrastructure and human resources necessary to deliver on their expanded mandates effectively.”

Underscoring his commitment, the President revealed that he had signed into law two landmark pieces of legislation, the County Public Finance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the County Allocation of Revenue Bill, 2025. “These laws cement the principle of horizontal revenue sharing among counties and consolidate the place of county assemblies, while clearly defining the respective responsibilities of both county and national governments,” he noted.

However, President Ruto cautioned county assemblies to exercise their autonomy responsibly and to fulfil their mandates diligently.

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, who hosted the event, lauded the positive transformation brought about by devolution, asserting that the country was on the right track.

Her remarks were echoed by the Chairperson of the Council of Governors, Ahmed Abdullahi, who took the opportunity to urge the President to facilitate the full transfer of all devolved functions to county administrations.