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With his military intelligence and prowess, EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak has sworn to recover assets and end corruption.
With 34 years of experience in the military, is Mbarak the best-suited to take on the war on corruption in the next six years?.
But who is Mbarak?
The 54-year-old joined Kamuzu Military College, Malawi, as an army officer cadet in 1984.
Born in Kilifi, Mbarak served as a platoon commander of Kenya Rifles from 1985-88 and security office (military protective security) from 1987-91, before taking up a one-year job on a UN military observer mission for Western Sahara referendum.
Between 1993 and 1996, he served as a personal assistant to the director of military intelligence, before moving on to the Horn of Africa Military Intelligence Corps.
Mbarak joined the National Security Intelligence Service as the head of research and analysis external division in 1990.
At NIS, he also served as head of protective security, head of security analysis and production division and principal officer, as well as head of NIS academy research and development department.
The EACC boss is credited with training and mentoring some of the top spies in the country.
He left the NIS in 2006 and joined EACC’s precursor — the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission — as principal officer in the Under Cover Investigations Unit where he served until 2010.
Read: Will Twalib replace Waqo at the EACC?
Also read: Uhuru entrusts key jobs to former military and intelligence officers
Intelligence and corruption
Military training places great emphasis on values such as integrity, and the armed forces usually hold a position of trust at the heart of the nation.
However, abuses such as corruption in procurement, nepotism among others are traits the officers in the military sector are taught how to deal with.
With all his experience in the military, Mbarak is expected to fight back corruption and ensure that order is restored in the use of public money.
During his vetting process, Mbarak said corruption is like a baboon causing chaos in the farm and must be killed otherwise not only will others run but convictions alone cannot work.
“Corruption fights back but I have the skin of a rhino. I don’t fear anybody and I’m only committed to executing the duties of my office. If I don’t deliver, my team will not. It all starts with me, if as CEO I wobble, my staff will do the same,” he said.
Although Article 244 (b) of the Constitution gives the police power to deal with matters relating to corruption, it has largely been left to EACC as a specialist organisation.
In their latest fight against corruption, the EACC embarked on the use of Bible study to boost the commission’s fight against corruption.
The commission, chaired by retired Anglican Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, launched the Bible Study Guide together with the Inter-Religious Sector.
Related: DCI to take over corruption cases as EACC loses powers
Kenya has a history of multi-million dollar scandals that have failed to result in high-profile convictions.
Read: EACC partners with office of DPP to gather graft evidence
Also read: High profile statesmen are frustrating prosecutions – EACC boss Wabukala
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