EACC Responds to Claims of Ignoring Corruption in Northern Kenya

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has dismissed allegations made by lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi, who accused the commission of ignoring corruption in Northern Kenya and allegedly labeling Marsabit as the least corrupt county in the country.

In a strongly worded response, EACC said the claims were false and misleading, insisting it has not released any report ranking counties by levels of corruption.

In a tweet that sparked widespread debate, Ahmednasir said that despite being politically opposed to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, they share a common view on the challenges facing Northern Kenya.

“Gachagua and I see and read from the same script when it comes to the problems of North Kenya,” Ahmednasir wrote.

He attributed the region’s underdevelopment not only to historical neglect but also to corruption by local leaders, claiming that massive public funds had been misused.

“Since 2013, over Kshs 1 TRILLION was allocated through devolution funds, CDF funds, donor funds and grants from the Central government to the Northern counties,” he said.

According to the lawyer, a forensic audit would allegedly reveal that most of the money was lost to corruption.

“A forensic audit will sadly show that 90% of these funds were wasted and misappropriated.”

Criticism of EACC’s Role

Ahmednasir also questioned the credibility of the anti-graft body, alleging that a recent report ranked Marsabit as the least corrupt county,an assertion EACC has now denied.

“Can you believe that, according to a report released by @EACCKenya last week, Marsabit is the least corrupt county in Kenya? Can anyone take @EACCKenya seriously?” he posed.

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He went further to accuse the commission of shielding corruption instead of fighting it, calling the situation a “corruption genocide of Northern Kenya.”

Call for National Action

The lawyer urged the government to take decisive action, proposing a national convention to scrutinize how funds allocated to Northern Kenya were used.

“We need a national kamkunji on where the KSh 1 trillionallocated to the Northern counties has gone to,” Ahmednasir said.

He also warned President William Ruto’s administration against allowing the issue to be politicized.

“The government of President Ruto shouldn’t allow Gachagua to monopolise this burning and popular topic.”

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In response, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission firmly denied releasing any report ranking counties by corruption levels.

“EACC wishes to clarify that it has not released any report recently, particularly one purporting to rank counties as the ‘most’ or ‘least’ corrupt,” the commission stated.

The agency emphasized that all counties are treated equally during investigations.

“The prioritization of investigations is guided strictly by the value of loss, public interest, and the level of responsibility of the persons involved, not by geography or political considerations.”

Commission Defends Its Reporting Process

EACC explained that all its official reports are published transparently and through formal channels.

“The Commission publishes quarterly and annual reports, which are duly gazetted in the Kenya Gazette and disseminated through EACC’s official communication channels,” the statement added.

The commission invited Ahmednasir and the public to rely on verified sources for accurate information.

“We invite @ahmednasirlaw and members of the public to rely on and engage with these official publications… for accurate and verified information on the Commission’s work.”

The exchange has sparked national debate on corruption, accountability, and the development challenges facing Northern Kenya, with renewed calls for transparency and independent audits of public funds allocated to the region.

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