There are reports that the office of the Ombudsman has written to the Prime Minister requesting for punitive measures against public officials who have not declared their wealth.

Six months after the due date for submission of the wealth declaration forms, the Ombudsman’s office says several civil servants are yet to meet this directive. 

This is a violation of the law and should be out-rightly condemned.

This government has ushered in a new culture, defined by the canons of accountability and transparency which have become part us.  We have received so many accolades for our zero tolerance to corruption.

Therefore, any acts that seek to deviate from this course or to compromise on these principles should be punished in line with the law.

The 2006 Wealth Declaration Law obliges public servants to submit their annual assets and liabilities for verification by June 30 of each year.

Why then should these officials wait be policed around by the Ombudsman to declare what the law obliges them to do?

The same law is clear; those individuals who have amassed wealth beyond their means should be investigated to establish their sources of wealth.

To ensure that the war on corruption is taken to another level, the office of the Ombudsman needs to be re-empowered.

The process of legislating prosecutorial powers to this office should be expedited.

That way, where the office has sufficient evidence, the culprits would be processed for prosecution without going through bureaucratic handles.

The political will to for fight corruption exists and this is the biggest weapon to confront this challenge. The necessary laws are in place and what we need is a collective determination to uproot this vice.

Ends