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By Simon Wafubwa
The latest Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) survey, alongside the recent audit of Kenyaโs eโCitizen platform, paints a sobering picture of governance in our country. Bribery remains widespread, and billions of shillings in public funds are either mismanaged, lost, or collected irregularly.
These are not abstract statistics but indicators of how deeply corruption has seeped into our society, undermining public trust and slowing down economic progress.
Corruption is not confined to government offices. Its impact ripples through every sector. When systems lack integrity, the cost of doing business rises. Legitimate companies face delays in licensing and service delivery, while unscrupulous firms that pay their way through bureaucracy gain unfair advantages. This distortion discourages investment and erodes confidence in Kenya as a competitive market.
Besides that, we must confront an uncomfortable truth: if corruption is rampant in society, it inevitably enters our businesses. The same people who pay bribes to access public services, or demand them in government offices, are often the same people we employ.
The 97% of people who witnessed but did not report unethical conduct according to the EACCโs National Ethics and Corruption Survey (NECS), are unlikely to report it within your organization either.
When unethical behaviour becomes normalised in society, it doesnโt vanish at the company gateโit follows employees into the workplace. Without strong ethical safeguards, this translates into procurement fraud, inflated invoices, irregular payments and poor accountability inside companies.
This is why personal ethics matter just as much as institutional reform. Systems, laws, and policies can only go so far if individuals at every levelโfrom junior staff to top executivesโdo not commit to doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
Corruption is not sustained by a few โbad people at the topโ; it is often perpetuated by thousands of small daily compromisesโpaying to fastโtrack a license, bending procurement rules to favour a supplier or overlooking fraud inside our own organizations because it is inconvenient to confront.
As business leaders, we have a dual responsibility. First, we must insist on stronger governance frameworks: transparent digital platforms like eโCitizen must have robust oversight, independent audits and clear reconciliation of revenues.
The same technology meant to eliminate corruption should not become a new avenue for it. We must also support policies that protect whistleblowers, enforce lifestyle audits for public officials, and make integrity a criterion for promotions and appointments in government service.
Second, we must lead by example inside our own organizations. Ethical recruitment, regular staff training on integrity and internal audit systems are essential. A company that tolerates small ethical breaches internally will eventually face larger scandals that threaten its survival. CEOs and senior managers must send a clear message: honesty is both a personal virtue and a performance expectation.
The private sector has a unique role to play. By collectively refusing to engage in corrupt practices, businesses can reduce the โdemandโ side of bribery. If procurement officers know that companies will not pay, the market for corruption begins to dry up. If CEOs commit publicly to integrity and back it with actionโterminating contracts with unethical partners, rewarding staff who uphold standards and being transparent about governance practicesโthey create a ripple effect that strengthens the entire economy.
For national progress, Kenyaโs economy cannot afford for integrity to be optional. We have to build institutions that people trust, businesses that are globally competitive and a society where success is not determined by who you can pay off, but by what you can produce and contribute.
As organizational leaders, we must move beyond words to action, reflected in the decisions we make every day.
Mr. Wafubwa is the CEO, Enwealth Financial Services [email protected]
ยฉCitizen Digital, Kenya
Continue reading...
- Corruption is not confined to government offices. Its impact ripples through every sector. When systems lack integrity, the cost of doing business rises.
By Simon Wafubwa
The latest Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) survey, alongside the recent audit of Kenyaโs eโCitizen platform, paints a sobering picture of governance in our country. Bribery remains widespread, and billions of shillings in public funds are either mismanaged, lost, or collected irregularly.
These are not abstract statistics but indicators of how deeply corruption has seeped into our society, undermining public trust and slowing down economic progress.
Corruption is not confined to government offices. Its impact ripples through every sector. When systems lack integrity, the cost of doing business rises. Legitimate companies face delays in licensing and service delivery, while unscrupulous firms that pay their way through bureaucracy gain unfair advantages. This distortion discourages investment and erodes confidence in Kenya as a competitive market.
Besides that, we must confront an uncomfortable truth: if corruption is rampant in society, it inevitably enters our businesses. The same people who pay bribes to access public services, or demand them in government offices, are often the same people we employ.
The 97% of people who witnessed but did not report unethical conduct according to the EACCโs National Ethics and Corruption Survey (NECS), are unlikely to report it within your organization either.
When unethical behaviour becomes normalised in society, it doesnโt vanish at the company gateโit follows employees into the workplace. Without strong ethical safeguards, this translates into procurement fraud, inflated invoices, irregular payments and poor accountability inside companies.
This is why personal ethics matter just as much as institutional reform. Systems, laws, and policies can only go so far if individuals at every levelโfrom junior staff to top executivesโdo not commit to doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
Corruption is not sustained by a few โbad people at the topโ; it is often perpetuated by thousands of small daily compromisesโpaying to fastโtrack a license, bending procurement rules to favour a supplier or overlooking fraud inside our own organizations because it is inconvenient to confront.
As business leaders, we have a dual responsibility. First, we must insist on stronger governance frameworks: transparent digital platforms like eโCitizen must have robust oversight, independent audits and clear reconciliation of revenues.
The same technology meant to eliminate corruption should not become a new avenue for it. We must also support policies that protect whistleblowers, enforce lifestyle audits for public officials, and make integrity a criterion for promotions and appointments in government service.
Second, we must lead by example inside our own organizations. Ethical recruitment, regular staff training on integrity and internal audit systems are essential. A company that tolerates small ethical breaches internally will eventually face larger scandals that threaten its survival. CEOs and senior managers must send a clear message: honesty is both a personal virtue and a performance expectation.
The private sector has a unique role to play. By collectively refusing to engage in corrupt practices, businesses can reduce the โdemandโ side of bribery. If procurement officers know that companies will not pay, the market for corruption begins to dry up. If CEOs commit publicly to integrity and back it with actionโterminating contracts with unethical partners, rewarding staff who uphold standards and being transparent about governance practicesโthey create a ripple effect that strengthens the entire economy.
For national progress, Kenyaโs economy cannot afford for integrity to be optional. We have to build institutions that people trust, businesses that are globally competitive and a society where success is not determined by who you can pay off, but by what you can produce and contribute.
As organizational leaders, we must move beyond words to action, reflected in the decisions we make every day.
Mr. Wafubwa is the CEO, Enwealth Financial Services [email protected]
ยฉCitizen Digital, Kenya
Continue reading...
