Many Kenyans who were in the past viewed as competent enough to lead the Ethics and Anti-Corruption commission have tried fighting the monstrous vice called corruption that has all but robbed this Country of billions of shillings but many of them failed.
In the wake of heightened fight against graft, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has arguably stood out as that weakest link. Critics say it has derailed the war.
But with the nomination of Major (Rtd) Twalib Mbarak to the helm of the agency, the weakest link is expected to turn into the strongest, connecting the Directorate of Criminal Investigation and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to the Judiciary.
He must take no prisoners. This is what Integrity Centre staff expect. Yesterday, an EACC officer said in anonymity that they are ready to support the cause.
“An organisation is as good as its leaders. If [Mbarak is] approved and joins us, he’ll bring in forthrightness, and put us back on track as far as our mandate is concerned. We’ll no longer be viewed as moribund or as those holding brief for suspects of corruption,” he told the Star.
He accused some EACC officials he did not name of derailing the anti-corruption war.
“Though those who have been shadowy in their work are a bit jittery, I believe he is the right man to dismantle the existing cartels that those facing probe have been running to, to slow down their cases,” the source intimated.
Those who have interacted with Mbarak in professional and social circles describe him as soft-spoken, decisive and down-to-earth.
The former military intelligence officer was nominated by the EACC as its new CEO on November 30. He emerged tops in a pool of 14 candidates. The interviews were held from November 27 to 29.
“He had the strongest CV, matched with sterling presentation skills. The EACC couldn’t have got a better CEO. He will bring a lot of acumen and goodwill, both local and international. He had the highest score. The rest came distant with average performances,” another source familiar with the vetting said.
Yesterday, the CEO designate faces the National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs committee for vetting. Next week, Parliament will convene for a special sitting to consider the committee’s report. If approved, he will replace Halakhe Waqo whose six-year tenure has expired.
Mbarak’s CV is replete with admirable qualifications. The 53-year-old joined the Kamuzu Military College, Malawi, as an army officer cadet in 1984. The Kilifi-born Kenyan served as a platoon commander of Kenya Riffles in 1985-88, security office (military protective security) in 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 Corp.