Walk the talk on graft, Musalia Mudavadi urges top government officials
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi (right) welcomes Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to address the gathering during an interdenominational prayer meeting at Nanyuki Stadium in Laikipia County on January 8, 2023.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has said that he will be at the forefront in the fight against corruption in government, telling members of the executive to commit themselves in ensuring that their departments were free of graft.
Mr Mudavadi told Cabinet Secretaries and senior officials of the executive that they should uphold integrity and accountability as they discharge their duties, saying, “the greed for material wealth drives us into corruption that prevents us from realising our full potential.”
He asked all government officials to “walk the talk” and let their actions espouse the tenets of the religions they profess, which call for honesty and accountability.
“Let me be clear; all our religious leanings amount to nothing when we let graft and impunity govern us. Across the globe, religious faiths have pronounced themselves very clearly on the need to lead a life that upholds humility, equity, probity and justice. We must walk the talk,” he said. Mr Mudavadi spoke at the Fairmont Safari Club in Nyeri during the inaugural retreat for the Cabinet and senior ranks of the executive which ended yesterday.
He asked CSs and PSs to carry out public participation and “serve and not rule” citizens while pointing out that the success of the Kenya Kwanza government depended on the service they deliver to Kenyans in the various departments. All ministries should work towards a common goal, he added.
“The government depends on your success in ministries and state departments. This in turn depends on building synergies and maximising on cooperation. Get to know one another and use this retreat as an opportunity to foster strong interpersonal working relationships,” he said.
He said the government had embarked on a task of Kenya’s economic transformation, saying, “I [believe] that we need to liberate our people from the shame and indignity of poverty.”
“The challenging times we serve in have also witnessed global evolutions on many fronts; environmental, social, cultural, political and most outstanding economic. But it is only in such times that true patriots are defined. The waves we swim against are uncharted, the paths less travelled and yet we must keep up with the entire world and thrive in it,” he added.
Mr Mudavadi said the economic transformation of the nation would earn Kenya global respect “in the new world order” where economically strong counties are recognised.
“Every nation is working on how to be economically strong. Likewise, every other Kenyan is working on the same. Some know how but they do not have the means. Some have the means but they don’t know how. Some don’t have both but they are still part of us ... our primary agenda is to develop every hustle, whose collective will be a congress of wealthy Kenyans spread all over our land,” he said.
Mr Mudavadi took members of the Cabinet through the role of his office, which, among other functions, includes overseeing the implementation of national government policies and programmes and co-ordinating government legislative agenda across all ministries and state departments.
“The OPCS roles are cross-functional. It means I will be relying on all of you to accomplish them, besides your specific duties and responsibilities that have clearly been spelt out for you,” he said.
