Senate mulls banning civil servants from doing business with govt

Civil servants who have formed companies purposely to do business with national and county governments will find themselves behind bars and blocked from holding public office if parliament adopts proposed changes to the lawWhile discussing a petition tabled before them that seeks to address conflict of interest within the public service, Senators on Wednesday said that public servants doing business with government are to blame for runaway corruption.


“We don’t want to criminalise business but conflict of interest must be looked at. Even politicians are using their influence to run for public office to unfairly secure business,” Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula said.


Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale blamed the Ndegwa commission report of the 1970s that allowed public officers to do business with government for the widening gap between the rich and poor.


The report paved way for civil servants to take advantage of their close proximity to senior government officials to amass wealth while still on the government payroll.


“This must change if we were to have a country where all Kenyans can lead a better life as opposed to few rich people as the expense of the majority,” Dr Khalwale said.


"Existing laws not adequate"


The petition was tabled by a private citizen, Tony Watima, who wants parliamentarians to enact a law barring public officers from conducting any commercial activity with the State.


“There have been numerous incidences in Kenya where public officers make decisions on matters in which they, either directly or indirectly, have a personal interest,” the petition by Mr Watima reads.


The existing laws, he said, have not adequately addressed this challenge, resulting in increased cases of graft at both levels of government.


He said enacting such a law would allow public officers to freely make government decisions based on public interest without undue influence from their own personal interests.


“There is a pattern of unchallenged abuse of power by both appointed and elected public officers taking official action or making policy recommendations in areas where they are investors or have personal interests,” Mr Watima noted.


Mr Wetangula said junior officers at both national and county government have amassed wealth way above their annual incomes within a short while through dishonest means.


Nominated Senator Judith Sijeny echoed the sentiment, saying corruption had risen to worrying levels and that unless the situation was addressed, there would be less funds in circulation.