Kenyans have a right to demand for accountability: DP William Ruto

By Agencies, Citizen Digital

8 November 2015

Deputy President William Ruto now says Kenyans have a right to demand for transparency and accountability from their leaders.

Ruto said Kenyans elected leaders to serve them and should not abdicate their responsibilities.

Also Read: America, Britain to deny corrupt Kenyan officials Visas

“Kenyans have a right to demand for accountability and service delivery from their leaders,” said Ruto. “Everybody must take responsibility for what roles they have been given at both the national and county levels.”

The Deputy President said institutions charged with ensuring there was no corruption or wastage of public resources should not let Kenyans down.

“Institutions, which have been given the mandate by the Constitution should take firm and decisive action against those found engaging in corruption, theft and misuse of public resources,” said the DP.

The Deputy President was addressing christian faithful at the Kapsabet Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Diocese at the Kapsabet High School grounds on Sunday.

Ruto said the Government would account for every promise it made to Kenyans during and after the electioneering period.

“We are ready and prepared to make sure that we account for every promise we made to Kenyans.”

He said the Government would not relent in the fight against corruption.

He added that the government would not relent on ensuring those found engaging in the vice will be forced to step aside and pave way for investigations if Kenya is to achieve a transformational leadership that the electorate will be proud of.

“We have heard the concerns raised by Kenyans on the issue of corruption. President Uhuru Kenyatta and I will not let Kenyans down,” he said. “We will ensure there is no corruption, theft and wastage of public resources.”

The Deputy President at the same time called for concerted efforts from all Kenyans in fighting the vice.

He said the war against corruption would only be successful if citizens join by not engaging in bribery.

“As citizens we should not bribe a policeman or other civil servants for services because they are paid salaries to serve you,” he said.

“When you bribe them while looking for jobs you are participating in corruption. Those of us who do not report those participating in corruption are no different from those engaging in the vice. They are therefore letting us down.”

The Deputy President also urged Kenyans to discourage politics of animosity.

Ruto said politics should not be used to create enmity among Kenyans but be viewed as uniting factor of all the Kenyan ethnic communities.

He told leaders to work together in solving the challenges facing the people.

“We should work together in solving the problems facing our people instead of engaging in too much politics at the expense of service delivery,” he said.

MPs Elijah Lagat (Chesumei), Zipporah Kering (Nandi Women Rep), Stephen Sang (Nandi) and Governor Cleophas Lagat (Nandi) said they will support the Government in implementing its development initiatives.

The leaders said time for politics was over and it is time to focus on development.

The MPs told the opposition to stop politicizing the ongoing cases at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for cheap publicity.

“We will continue with our prayer rallies seeking for God’s intervention on the cases facing Deputy President and Journalist Joshua Sang at the International Criminal Court (ICC),” said Kering.

Sang said leaders allied to Jubilee should work as a team while exploring ways of ensuring the cases were terminated.

“ As Jubilee leaders we should engage in genuine and honest debates as far as the cases at the ICC are concerned instead of undermining each other,” said Sang.

The leaders said they were ready to embrace the new political vehicle for Jubilee ahead of the 2017 elections.

“As leaders in Nandi we are ready to embrace the new party to be agreed upon by the Jubilee leadership as our vehicle come the next general election,” said Governor Lagat.

Retired Kirinyaga ACK Diocese Rev. Daniel Munene who asked Christians to continue praying for peace and stability in the country delivered the sermon.