Kanchory warns of industrial-scale corruption following Homa Bay discussions on graft
Former Azimio la Umoja presidential chief agent Saitabao Ole Kanchory has cautioned Kenyans to brace for what he termed as corruption on an industrial scale following President William Ruto’s fresh attack on corrupt practices within Parliament and other arms of government.
In a statement shared on his X account on Thursday, August 14, 2025, Kanchory said the recent public conversation in Homa Bay about the prevalence of corruption was not merely a lament about the current state of affairs, but rather a deliberate framing of the narrative to normalise and pave the way for even greater acts of graft.
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According to him, the remarks made during the Homa Bay discussions signal a looming period where corrupt practices will not only increase in magnitude but also be carried out with impunity, under the guise that corruption is already an entrenched part of the system.
“The theme in Homa Bay of how everyone is corrupt is to prepare Kenyans for the upcoming corruption on an industrial scale. We ain’t seen nothing yet,” he stated.
Corrupt Parliament
President Ruto had on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, accused Members of Parliament of turning oversight committees into money-minting rings rather than fulfilling their constitutional mandate.
“There is something happening in Parliament that must be called out. There is money being demanded from the executive, from governors, from people in the executive, especially those who are for accountability,” Ruto said during the Devolution Conference in Homa Bay County.
He claimed some committees were running extortion schemes, demanding payment to write reports or to look the other way in matters of oversight.
“It cannot continue to be business as usual. It cannot be committees of Parliament demand to be paid for them to write reports or look the other way,” he said.
The Head of State also turned his criticism on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), warning that there would be no immunity for those found guilty of graft.
“I have made it clear to EACC that there will be no sacred cows. There will be no phone calls from below or above to stop anyone from being prosecuted,” he said.
Anticipatory bail
Ruto also faulted the Judiciary for what he described as shielding corrupt individuals, citing the growing use of anticipatory bail to block arrests and prosecutions.
“Do not be a haven for the corrupt to hide behind judicial decisions. We have an innovation that is only available in Kenya that allows a corrupt person, someone who has stolen public funds, or somebody in breach of the law, not to be prosecuted. The anticipatory bail is an innovation that takes us backwards,” Ruto said.
He questioned why courts would grant such bail to individuals facing serious corruption allegations.
“Just let us ask ourselves, someone who has stolen public funds goes to court and asks for anticipatory bail, making it impossible for such a person to be arrested and prosecuted, how does that help in the fight against corruption? That is something we must ask our friends at the Judiciary,” he added.
The President stressed that corruption continues to undermine Kenya’s transformation agenda, calling on all arms of government to work together to protect public resources.
“We are undertaking a transformation in Kenya, but it is being undermined by corruption. All arms of government and agencies must work together to ensure public resources are used for the purpose they are intended for,” he said.
Ruto revealed that his administration had strengthened the country’s anti-corruption framework by recently signing the Conflict of Interest Bill into law. He said the new legislation would help close loopholes that have allowed public officials to abuse their positions for personal gain.
“I did sign into law, a few weeks ago, legislation that will fight against corruption by signing into law the Conflict of Interest Bill. I do expect that agencies charged with making sure there is accountability at all levels of government take up their role as efficiently and effectively as the law and Constitution mandate them,” he said.
