Kalonzo calls out Gov’t over corruption, 'skewed' police recruitment process

Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has called out the government over what he says is wanton graft.

The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya co-principal said the increased incidences of corruption have the potential to wound the integrity of services offered by government institutions and in severe cases lead to a breach of security in the country.

Speaking at the opening of the county governments’ governance convention in Naivasha on Tuesday, Kalonzo quoted the report published by the Public Service Commission in December, that revealed that 1,280 public officers were found to have forged their academic certificates.

He decried the skewed selection process of employment in various government agencies, singling out the recruitment of police officers which he referred to as a sensitive docket with the corruption in recruitment threatening to throw the country into civil disarray.

"I am particularly perturbed by the recent efforts to recruit Kenyans...wametolewa shati wanakimbia, kumbe recruitment imefanywa huko Nairobi...let me be open with you friends, that if you mess up with the composition of a country’s defence forces you, will create a problem that will be impossible to cure particularly in our region...yours truly has been involved in peace missions to help our neighbours in other countries to get back on course,” he said.

The Wiper chief also accused President William Ruto of high-handedness, which he said is the reason for the skyrocketing cost of living.

Kalonzo accused President Ruto of sabotaging the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), alleging that the Head of State arm-twisted Members of Parliament to throw out the agenda on the high cost of living.

 “When we sat at the end of the day to try to conclude on agenda, item number one was high cost of living...we could not even agree and I am sure the Kenya Kwanza coalition meeting here in Naivasha are themselves feeling it but they do not want to say because their chief executive told them you must toe the line because I got you elected,” he said.

In the conference, members of the different county public service boards called for financial autonomy to streamline their duties and ensure good governance in the county.