EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak has said his main agenda will be law enforcement, asset recovery and public education.
He made the remarks after being sworn-in on Monday. Chief Justice David Maraga presided over the ceremony at the Supreme Court.
Mbarak was named the new anti-graft boss on November 29 last year. He said he will focus on conducting a comprehensive audit of cases and prioritise investigations based on value of the subject matter, personalities involved and public interest.
“In addition, there is need to ensure expeditious completion of investigations. I intend to review the processes and unblock any procedural bottlenecks that prevent us from working effectively,” he said.
“I am aware that corruption is becoming increasingly multijurisdictional and complex, so strengthening and deepening relationships that will facilitate the investigative process will be a major focus for me.”
The new anti graft boss pledged to improve the capacity of asset recovery.
“As you are aware, financial gain is often the motive for corruption. In many cases, the corrupt will fight harder to protect their ill-gotten wealth from confiscation than they would do to avoid imprisonment,” he said.
“Crime doesn’t expire, you can acquire dirty wealth but we will come for you,” he added.
On public education, Mbarak said he will continuously engage the public through the mainstream and social media platforms.
He also promised to improve the intelligence capabilities and undercover operations in order to use information not only for reactive purposes but to improve knowledge on emerging threats and to identify proactive investigative lines.
“I want assure Kenyans that our dream is still alive, I will not relent in raising awareness on the dangers of corruption and to enlist your support in the fight against corruption. We all know corruption is the main cause of poverty in this country,” he said.
I will use the resources available to tackle impactful investigations, conduct a comprehensive audit of cases with a view to prioritize investigations based on factors such as the value of the subject matter, personalities involved and public interest~CEO Twalib Mbarak
— EACC (@EACCKenya) January 14, 2019
“Corrupt persons thrive on volatility. They exploit it for personal gain. I am committed to make corruption a high-risk venture in our beloved country. Kenya will be an inhospitable place for corrupt individuals,” he added.
Mbarak said that although he has a wealth of knowledge and experience from both the law enforcement and corporate background, he needs support.
“However, I will need the support of all stakeholders, particularly the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Media sector and Citizens in general,” he said.