This is lawyer Orengo’s new style of winning anti-corruption war

Culprits must be publicly named and shamed to win the war on corruption.  That's what Siaya Senator James Orengo said on Tuesday before the opening of the Devolution Conference at Sagana State Lodge, Kirinyaga county. / COURTESY

Siaya Senator James Orengo has said arrests and trials of corrupt individuals are important, but not good enough to win the fight.

Culprits must be publicly named and shamed to win the war on corruption.

That’s what Lawyer Orengo said on Tuesday before the opening of the Devolution Conference at Sagana State Lodge, Kirinyaga county.

“At this stage when corruption has become a cancer, the fight is not going to be won without naming names,” the Senate Minority leader said.

“We should not be scared of naming and shaming,” Orengo said, adding that’s one way to ensure leaders adhere to the Constitution’s Chapter Six on integrity.

Governors Mwangi Wa Iria (Murang'a), James Ongwae (Kisii), Health CS Sicily Kariuki, Mohamed Kuti (Isiolo) during a joint media brief on March 4, 2019. /COURTESY

Kenyan leaders are always scared when their names are associated with corruption, “even if it’s just to record a statement”, he said.

Many countries that have succeeded in fighting corruption used the name-and-shame strategy as a deterrent, Orengo said.

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru with her deputy governor, County Commissioner and Police Commander of Kirinyaga as they inspected the set up for the Devolution Conference on March 1, 2019. /COURTESY

In the US, for instance, President Donald Trump is being investigated by the House of Representatives, while in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also facing allegations of misconduct.

“Kenyans should know that however powerful or mighty you are, if you have committed an act of corruption, you are not beyond the law. We will succeed if we assure people nobody is above the law,” Orengo said.

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