President Uhuru Kenyatta has called on Kenyans to scale up the fight against corruption saying the soul of the nation depends on it.
Uhuru said the country cannot afford to sleep and celebrate the gains achieved in fighting graft until the vice is completely eradicated.
“We must all work together, that is all arms of the government, the business community, media, religious institutions, non-governmental organizations and the ordinary Kenyans to fight this noble war,” he said.
The President was speaking on Monday at State House where he witnessed the ceremonial handing over of Sh450 million repatriated Jersey.
The funds were confiscated by Jersey authorities following the successful conviction of Windward Trading Limited for money laundering.
The President said Kenyans must raise the bar even higher in fighting the vice if Kenya is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Vision 2030.
During the occasion, the President also witnessed the handing over of 39 title deeds for corruptly acquired parcels of land to public entities and county governments worth over Sh5 billion.
The corruptly acquired land recovered by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) included 14 parcels handed over to Treasury Cabinet Secretary as trustee of various public institutions.
The land is valued at approximately Sh603 million.
One parcel of land valued at Sh2 billion was handed over to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization and another piece of land valued of the same value went to the Kenya Railways Corporation.
Other recovered parcels of land were handed over to the county governments of Uasin Gishu, Kisii, Nakuru, Kisumu and Bomet.
Uhuru emphasized that although corruption has deep roots and its axis keeps on regrouping and fighting back, the government will not be swayed by the naysayers or misdirected by those who relish negativity and resentment.
The Head of State lauded all actors from the government of Kenya and that of Jersey for their sustained efforts that resulted in the signing of the Asset Sharing Agreement (ASA).
The decree was signed under the Framework for the Return of Assets from Crime and Corruption in Kenya.
