President Uhuru Kenyatta has for the first time said he wants the renewed fight against graft to be his legacy.
He said the lifestyle audit can go back to his great-grandfather.
“I am determined to leave the fight against corruption as my legacy and transparency. Resources should be used in the best interest of Kenyans,” he said.
Speaking on BBC’s Hard Talk show on Wednesday, Uhuru said corruption is an animal he wants to slay. “We have been working quietly over the few years,” he said.
“We have begun tackling corruption regardless of who you are…even if you are my family members…agencies are free to arrest anybody.”
Uhuru said neither the big fish nor prominent people will be spared in the purge.
“We can even go back to my grandfather or great-grandfather for the lifestyle audit. Perfectly welcomed…I will emerge very confidently. No sacred cows.”
In June, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi backed Uhuru’s directive on lifestyle audit of civil servants.
But, the second-time legislator challenged the President to also include his late father Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
“If somebody thinks that what we have obtained is illegitimate, then they are welcome to provide evidence,” Uhuru said.
The President said his government is ready to support the Judiciary to ensure that the cases are fast-tracked.
“The Judiciary has to do its work independently. You are already seeing results… people are being taken to court,” he said.
“I’m committed to this fight. Cases are now being finalised a lot faster. We are looking forward for the courts to do their part. The age of impunity is over.”
When he spoke in Washington DC before he left for Kenya, Uhuru told people to stop politicising the process.
Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu’s arrest on Tuesday left many Kenyans asking the DPP if the arrest was influenced.
Noordin Haji responded to claims that her arrest might be linked to Uhuru’s 2017 remark when he said he will ‘fix’ the Judiciary when he is re-elected.
Haji said every decision made on the arrest was reached independently.
The president said the fight is not between him and anyone else, but a fight for all Kenyans.
“To ensure that we return order. If you are a leader, you should not have thoughts of enriching yourself. That’s the language Kenyans should speak,” Uhuru said.
On Tuesday, the ODM party raised concern over the manner in which Mwilu was arrested and arraigned, saying due process was not followed.
The party said although it fully supports the government’s efforts to fight corruption, there was an element of foul play in the arrest of the DCJ.