The billions of shillings lost through corruption in the country is enough to fund the Big Four Agenda, US ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter has said.
Kenya’s Big Four agenda include affordable housing, manufacturing, universal healthcare and food security.
“It is ironical that the billions of shillings lost through corruption is equivalent to the cost of funding the government’s Big Four agenda,” said Mr McCarter.
He added: “Those engaging in corruption are depriving the Kenyan citizens of what they deserve.”
FIGHT GRAFT
The envoy said that although Kenya has made steps in the fight against graft, citizens should come out more vigorously and condemn the vice.
The US ambassador also urged Kenyans to remain vigilant in the fight against the vice by condemning those stealing from the public coffers.
“Kenyans have allowed corruption to thrive and it is high time they said enough is enough. Thieves must be held accountable. Kenyans must stop these thieves now.”
In a bid to help Kenya fight corruption, Mr McCarter said the US government is will train prosecutors and investigators on how to handle graft cases.
However, he did not disclose how much the Donald Trump administration will spend in the fight against graft in Kenya.
“We shall also train the judiciary on how to hold people accountable,” he added.
He urged Kenyans to change their perspective on the war against corruption right from the grassroots saying “a time has come for Kenyans to come together and say no to graft.”
MOB JUSTICE
He added: “In rural areas, if one steals a chicken, they suffer mob justice and that is not right. People must say no to corruption in matatus and government offices because citizens deserve better services.”
He announced that the US government was keen in helping the country rejuvenate its economy. He singled out the pyrethrum sector where the US firm Kentegra is investing in.
“Kenya used to have about 300,000 pyrethrum farmers but were demoralised by poor management. With investors from US such as Kentegra, the industry will flourish again,” he said on Tuesday.
In the manufacturing sector, he urged the government to fill in the gaps by hiring the youth.
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“70 per cent of the youth are below the age of 30 years and the government should use their talents to expand manufacturing industry,” he said.
He said that the youth have skills in various fields such as electronics and media and government should make use of them.
CANCER TREATMENT
He admitted that the Sh7 billion US funding to HIV/Aids had reduced as the prevalence of the disease declined. However, he said his government was focusing on cancer treatment.
“We have the best cancer experts in Nairobi who will be advising on how to tackle and prevent the disease,” he said.
He was speaking in Nakuru Town on Tuesday during a courtesy call to Bishop Maurice Muhatia of the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru.
Bishop Muhatia said the church had taken the fight against corruption a notch higher and had set corruption reporting desks in all its churches across the country.
Mr McCarter commended the Catholic Church’s efforts to fight graft and urged other denominations to emulate the church and speak in one voice to tame the runaway corruption.
