President William Ruto has announced the formation of a powerful Multi-Agency Team on War Against Corruption (MAT) aimed at enhancing synergy among key government institutions in the fight against graft, economic crimes, and related offences.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the President said the team will play a central role in coordinating and strengthening Kenya’s anti-corruption framework, ensuring that various agencies work in unison rather than in isolation.
The MAT will be chaired by the Executive Office of the President, underscoring the administration’s resolve to elevate the anti-corruption agenda to the highest level of government oversight. The Office of the Attorney General will serve as the Secretariat, charged with harmonizing operations and ensuring effective follow-through on decisions.
Membership of the team draws from a wide array of institutions with specialized mandates. These include the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). The inclusion of these agencies is designed to ensure swift intelligence gathering, investigation, and prosecution of graft cases.
Further bolstering the MAT’s capacity are financial and regulatory bodies such as the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC), the Asset Recovery Agency (ARA), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), and the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA). Their involvement is expected to close loopholes in money laundering, asset concealment, tax evasion, and irregular procurement practices.
Significantly, the new framework grants the MAT powers to co-opt additional representatives from other designated agencies whenever necessary. This flexibility is aimed at ensuring the team remains adaptive, robust, and responsive to evolving corruption tactics.
President Ruto emphasized that tackling corruption is a top priority for his administration, not only to safeguard public resources but also to restore public trust in state institutions.
The creation of MAT comes at a time when Kenyans have increasingly voiced concerns over persistent corruption scandals undermining service delivery and economic growth. With its multi-pronged membership and high-level coordination, the team is expected to inject new momentum into Kenya’s long-standing battle against graft.
