The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has slammed accusations of regional bias in its high-stakes corruption investigations, declaring that graft knows no tribe, county, or political boundary.
In a sharp rebuttal to claims—particularly those targeting probes in northern Kenya—EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud insisted the agency’s work is strictly evidence-driven, not ethnically or geographically motivated.
“We do not isolate regions, and we do not conduct investigations based on politics,” Mohamud stated firmly. He branded suggestions that any single area is singled out as “unjustified and unfair,” stressing that labeling one region as more corrupt lacks credible evidence and distorts the national reality of graft.
“Corruption is a widespread issue that exists everywhere in Kenya,” he added. “To zero in on one region is unjustified. Let us not isolate one region as if corruption is a peculiar problem there alone. Our work is national, and our mandate applies equally to all.”
The EACC emphasized that case selection follows clear, objective criteria: the scale of suspected public funds lost, the level of public interest, and the seniority of those implicated. Geography, ethnicity, or political affiliations play no role.
Addressing specific allegations about northern Kenya, Mohamud acknowledged unique historical and governance challenges in the region but rejected any notion of selective targeting. He revealed that active investigations are underway across all five northern counties, with multiple high-profile files—including recommendations to prosecute a city governor and other senior county officials—already forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The denial arrives amid heightened public debate over anti-corruption enforcement, fueled recently by viral (and false) social media claims that the EACC had ranked counties by corruption levels—a report the commission swiftly dismissed as fabricated.
EACC reiterated its impartial stance: probes span the entire country, from urban powerhouses to remote devolved units, with billions in suspected losses under scrutiny nationwide. While critics occasionally cry foul over perceived selectivity, the agency stands firm that the rule of law demands equal application—region-blind and relentless.
As Kenya battles entrenched corruption threatening public resources and development, EACC’s clear message rings out: the fight against graft is fair, fierce, and focused solely on facts—not favoritism.
