Kenya President sacks 23 government officials over corruption, orders their prosecution

Kenyan President, William Ruto has ordered the sacking of no fewer than twenty-three (23) officials of the Kenya Forest Service for their involvement in corrupt activities that caused the destruction of many of the country’s forests.

Beyond their firing, he further ordered the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to fast-track investigations into the activities of the affected government officials and arraign them for prosecution.

“I have instructed the KFS board that all those engaged in corruption be fired and be taken to court. We have already found 23 forest managers and rangers.

“Those who have led to the destruction of forests be removed from the government. From tomorrow, I do not want them to be on government payroll. These are people who are saboteurs,” tuko.co.ke quotes President Ruto as saying during the pass-out of KFS graduates in Gilgil, Nakuru County, on Wednesday, October 11.

He disclosed that the corrupt dealings of the implicated government officials came to light through the collaborative efforts of Kenya’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the Forestry Service.

“Through collaboration with the relevant ministry, we have found KFS officers who engage in corrupt dealings, abetting the destruction of our forests... all of them should be removed from the payroll and charged in a court of law.

“We have already identified 23 forest managers and rangers... I have instructed the board to remove them from being government officers. From tomorrow, I do not want them on the government payroll,” Ruto said.

He assured that going forward, his government would take steps to weed out bad nuts from all sectors of the country and protect its environment.

We are going to take all necessary steps to protect our environment and ensure that good officers have an opportunity to serve our country with integrity.”

Meanwhile, in Ghana, in a letter instructing the police, the Attorney-General's Office concluded that Prof. Frimpong-Boateng's claims in his report on the nation's illegal mining activities are baseless and lack evidence to support the prosecution of those mentioned in it.

Gofred Dame said to the Ghana Police Service's Criminal Investigations Department that it is unable to support the prosecution of any of the individuals mentioned in the report.

Illegal mining activities have destroyed Ghana’s forests, water bodies and farmlands. Numerous investigations by the media and other stakeholders have exposed the perpetrators of the illegality – mostly political party functionaries, and the levels of deterioration caused to the environment, but the political will to make them face the rigours of the law has been non-existent.

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