National Integrity Alliance demands arrest of Oparanya following court’s move to quash DPP’s decision to review graft charges
By Nancy Marende, September 16, 2025The National Integrity Alliance (NIA) has demanded the immediate arrest of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya following a High Court judgement that declared the withdrawal of corruption charges against him unlawful.
In a statement on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, NIA stated that, delivering the ruling, Justice B.M. Musyoki found that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) acted “unlawfully, unconstitutionally, irregularly and contrary to public interest” when he reversed an earlier decision to prosecute the former Kakamega Governor.
“The judgement further revealed that the DPP acted unconstitutionally by disregarding the input of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the mandated investigative agency, and instead relied solely on submissions from Wycliffe Oparanya’s legal team,” the statement read in part.
To add to that, NIA revealed that the judgement reinstated corruption, conflict of interest, abuse of office, and money laundering allegations that had previously been set aside.
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According to the NIA, this ruling marks a turning point in the fight against impunity.
“This judgement is a victory for accountability, transparency, and the rule of law. It exposes and condemns the backdoor deals that have long shielded powerful individuals from justice,” the alliance stated.
The group further noted that as of September 2025, the EACC had flagged 18 high-profile graft cases that were unilaterally dropped by the ODPP, despite credible evidence.
Additionally, NIA revealed that similar concerns have been raised by the Senate’s County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), which has repeatedly criticised the collapse of strong corruption cases at the prosecution stage.
Demands
In light of the judgement, the NIA has demanded the immediate arrest of CS Wycliffe Oparanya based on the reinstated corruption charges and the DPP to file fresh charges in line with EACC’s investigations and the court ruling, as well as to cease usurping investigative functions and respect EACC’s constitutional mandate under Article 79 and Chapter Six of the Constitution.
Moreover, NIA has demanded the restoration of institutional cooperation between the ODPP and EACC to safeguard the integrity of the justice system.
The alliance emphasised that the ruling sends a clear warning against selective prosecution and political protection, saying Kenyans deserve a justice system that prioritises public interest over shielding the powerful.