By Brenda Holo
The County Government of Siaya has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and ethical governance through a capacity building and sensitization programme for county staff with officials from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen integrity, accountability and compliance in service delivery.
The programme brought together officials from the Department of Water, Irrigation, Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources and Technical officers, representatives from the State Department of Devolution, the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), and officers from the EACC as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen integrity, accountability and compliance in service delivery.
During the forum, a speech by EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi A. Mohamud was delivered on his behalf by the EACC Regional Manager, Abraham Kemboi. In the speech, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission CEO underscored the importance of good governance and prudent management of climate change funds under the Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) programme.
He noted that climate change funds are meant to safeguard livelihoods and support vulnerable communities, warning that misuse of such resources through unethical conduct undermines public trust and the future of communities.
“The battle against economic crime is not won in Nairobi boardrooms; it is won in our counties where resources meet the needs of the people,” read part of the speech.
Participants were urged to strengthen transparency and accountability mechanisms, promote good governance and ensure corruption and other malpractices are reported promptly.
The training sessions focused on oversight, accountability and corruption reporting within the FLLoCA programme. Dr. Susan Kinyeki took participants through the role of oversight, transparency and accountability in the context of the FLLoCA programme, highlighting the role of EACC in corruption prevention and reporting mechanisms.
Another session on the management of DIALS (Declaration of Income, Assets and Liabilities) and the role of responsible commissions was facilitated by Derrick Kihisa who is an advocate of High Court of Kenya. Participants were guided on the process of receiving and analysing declarations to identify discrepancies and inconsistencies, as well as the importance of seeking clarification to enhance accountability in public service. The EACC also emphasized the need for strengthened internal reporting systems and social accountability through ward-level engagement forums aimed at empowering citizens to identify and report corruption red flags.
The programme forms part of collaborative efforts between the County Government of Siaya and oversight institutions to build integrity-driven systems that ensure public resources are utilized effectively for the benefit of wananchi.
The event was attended by County Executive Committee Member for Water, Irrigation, Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Prof. Jacqueline Oduol, Chief Officer for Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources Jared Abayo, Chief Officer for Water and Irrigation Michael Oliech, alongside technical officers from the department.