The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has gone to court to demand tougher action on corrupt politicians. The lobby wants public officers and elected leaders who break Chapter 6 of the Constitution to lose their benefits and be barred from elections.
Agencies Targeted
In the petition, LSK names five key agencies:
- Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)
- Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC)
- Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP)
- National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC)
- Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC)
LSK wants the court to compel these agencies to enforce integrity rules for politicians and state officers.
Role of Citizens
The society argues that Kenyans have a duty to report dishonest leaders. It says information on a politician’s lack of integrity should be considered as evidence, provided it can be verified. This would allow citizens to stop corrupt leaders from getting on the ballot.
Strict Timelines
The petition also asks the court to order the five agencies to act within 20 days after receiving a report. If they fail to respond, the information should be treated as true. LSK further wants any official who violates the Leadership and Integrity Act to stop receiving salaries and allowances immediately.
Recent Context
The move comes shortly after President William Ruto called out MPs for allegedly demanding bribes from governors and state officers to influence decisions in Parliament.
The petition will be mentioned in court on September 29 for further directions.
