EACC seeks 50% retention of recovered assets to bridge budget deficit

EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud has urged the Senate to amend the law to allow the Commission to retain at least 50 percent of the value of assets recovered from corruption cases.

This move, he argues, would enable the EACC to hire more staff and fast-track investigations and other activities. If approved, the amendment could see the EACC’s budget increase by Sh2.5 billion annually, based on the value of recovered assets, supplementing its current allocation amid a budget shortfall.

The Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) has supported the proposal, recommending a legislative amendment that would allow the EACC to retain at least 50 percent of the over Sh5 billion it recovers every year.

This proposal comes in response to the agency’s significant funding gap, with the EACC receiving only Sh4 billion for its operations in the current financial year despite requesting Ksh7 billion — a deficit of Sh3 billion.

In his appearance before CPAC on Monday, Mr. Mohamud emphasized the Commission's consistent success in recovering assets obtained through corruption and economic crimes.

Last year, the EACC handed over Sh5 billion in assets, including both movable and immovable properties, as well as Sh511.4 million in cash.

These recoveries are currently surrendered to the National Treasury, which Mr. Mohamud criticized, noting that the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is permitted to keep a portion of the revenue collected.

Dr. Monica Wanjiru, EACC’s Vice Chairperson, underscored how the Commission’s operations have been hampered by chronic underfunding.

With only 760 staff members against an ideal establishment of 1,569, the EACC struggles with a backlog of cases, some dating back as far as 2014. The lack of sufficient investigators and legal officers has led to prolonged case resolution timelines.

Committee Chairperson Moses Kajwang’, expressing concern over the budgetary constraints, noted that the Sh3 billion shortfall means the EACC is operating at only 60 percent of its capacity.

He pledged the committee’s support for legal reforms to ensure that the EACC retains a share of the recovered assets, emphasizing the need to strengthen accountability institutions.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna also supported the proposal, arguing that at least 50% of recoveries should be allocated directly to the EACC's operations.

He described this measure as a critical step toward increasing the agency's efficiency and motivation, warning that further budget cuts would undermine the fight against corruption.

The EACC currently has a daunting caseload of 184 corruption-related matters forwarded by Senate oversight committees, many of which have been stalled due to budgetary and staffing constraints.

With only four investigators and two legal officers in each of its 11 regional offices, the agency remains severely under-resourced to handle the increasing volume of cases.