President William Ruto has issued crucial directives to the newly appointed Cabinet Secretaries as they begin their roles.
Speaking at State House, Nairobi on Thursday, August 8, 2024, Ruto emphasized that their first major task is to ensure accountability and combat corruption.
Ruto announced plans to introduce measures that will hold public officials accountable for any loss of public resources, including financial surcharges for those responsible.
He also outlined a strategy to address ghost worker payroll fraud by implementing a unified identification system for all government employees, including those in constitutional offices.
The President highlighted that the Cabinet will be responsible for overseeing the mandatory vetting of all public officers and establishing a framework for wealth declaration.
Additionally, Ruto plans to propose measures to ensure that all corruption cases are resolved within six months.
To manage the national budget more effectively, Ruto revealed that the country will adopt a zero-based budgeting system for the 2025/26 financial year.
This system aims to reorient the expenditure framework of the government. Procurement processes will also be digitized to prevent corruption, supported by the enactment of the Conflict of Interest Bill.
Ruto further stressed that his new Cabinet will work to eliminate loopholes used to misappropriate public funds during tax refund processes.
He urged the Cabinet Secretaries to collaborate in developing policies that support local manufacturing and create more job opportunities.
The President assured the new Cabinet of his full support but emphasized that his backing would end if it conflicted with his responsibility to the Kenyan people.
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