The Commission for Revenue Allocation (CRA) chairman, Micah Cheserem blamed the judiciary for condoning corruption despite the efforts put in place by the Government to end the vice in the country.
Speaking to westfm.co.ke in Kitale while touring Trans Nzoia County to see projects initiated by the county, Cheserem said that corruption has made several projects stall making the country to lag behind.
He complained that despite the president’s effort to see individuals involved in corruption arrested and prosecuted in courts of law, the suspects are left to go scot-free due to lack of evidence making it hard to stem out the vice that has taken root in the whole country.
He disclosed that the Government has in the past, together with the help of police, arrested 276 persons involved in corruption and upon presenting them to court, were let to go scot-free by the court for lack of evidence.
The CRA Chairman bitterly criticized the way cases involving corrupt individuals who are in bigger positions are handled especially by courts saying that they are treated well and their cases are terminated in unclear circumstances.
He however noted that cases that involve the poor citizens are followed up and judged accordingly.
He called upon the Kenyan judiciary to stand tall and eliminate the rising cases of corruption so that it wins the confidence of citizens.
“Kenya was at same level with Northern Korea but today the country is much developed than Kenya. One would wonder what happened to our country. Its corruption that is eating into the resources of the country”, said Cheserem.
Cheserem also defended devolution for having initiated a lot of development in the past three years as opposed to the way national Government was doing and urged the citizens to embrace it
He stated that devolution has transformed counties through better health care, agriculture, trade and education among others saying that now, the citizens can see the value of the money allocated by the National Government to different counties in the country.
He supported the development projects that had been initiated by the county of Trans Nzoia saying he was looking forward to providing more funds and decried the level of politicking especially when it comes to projects that are initiated to cater for improvement of people’s livelihoods.
He appealed to leaders to come and work together for the benefit of individuals who depend on them for direction and leadership.
His host Governor for Trans Nzoia county Patrick Khaemba, supported his sentiments saying that corruption has stalled several projects within the county and nation as a whole.
He said that several persons were eating into the country’s economy mentioning people who report to work late and are paid without having actually done the required and appealed to all citizens to help stop the vice for good.
Khaemba also criticized politicians for using most of their time in politicking instead of involving themselves in meaningful projects that can help alleviate the rising poverty among the residents of the county.
“We have wasted time on politicking and opposing the projects that other leaders have initiated and it’s high time that politicians tame their tongues and instead contribute to meaningful development projects which will be helpful to residents”, said Khaemba.