Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire has issued a stern warning to county government staff, cautioning them against engaging in corrupt practices and urging them to take full responsibility for their individual actions.
Speaking during a consultative meeting with officials from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Thursday, Governor Mbarire emphasized that her administration will not tolerate graft, which she said undermines service delivery and prudent use of public resources.
“Please ensure you do the right thing and render services without seeking bribes because we are going to take serious actions against such acts on any government officer going forward,” she warned.
The governor said her government is committed to improving efficiency in service delivery and will not hesitate to dismiss and prosecute officers found culpable. She pointed out that corruption has particularly taken root in sectors such as revenue collection and health, which will now be closely monitored.
To strengthen anti-graft efforts, Mbarire announced plans to introduce a hotline number and establish suggestion boxes where members of the public can report corruption cases anonymously. She said this initiative would empower residents to participate actively in the fight against graft by holding public officers accountable.
Her remarks come in the wake of the formation of the Corruption Prevention Committee (CPC), spearheaded by the EACC. The committee seeks to decentralize anti-corruption efforts and make prevention strategies more effective at the county level.
EACC Commissioner Col. (Rtd) Alfred Mshimba, who led the commission’s delegation, said CPCs would play a critical role in enhancing transparency in devolved units.
“We want to bring anti-corruption prevention efforts in the counties to make them more responsive and effective at the local level,” he said.
Mshimba noted that Embu is the second county after Makueni to host such consultative meetings and assured that the commission will continue engaging other counties to strengthen the fight against corruption nationwide.
Governor Mbarire reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to zero tolerance for corruption, saying every public officer must carry their own cross should they choose to engage in unethical conduct.
