The country is losing an upwards of Sh608 billion every year to graft, equivalent to 7.8 per cent of the country’s GDP. A file photo of EACC headquarters in Nairobi /FILE Players in the legal sector want corruption cases dealt with utmost seriousness, terming it a full-blown economic crisis draining the country’s lifeblood.
The latest report by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) shows that the country is losing an upwards of Sh608 billion every year to graft, equivalent to 7.8 per cent of the country’s GDP. While opposing the proposal to grant prosecutorial powers to the EACC, a lobby group, Sheria Mtaani, said the amount lost reflects how deeply entrenched graft has become, undermining growth, public trust, and the delivery of essential services to its citizens.
According to the lobby, EACC has performed dismally in its investigative role, and the agency lacks professional competence to prosecute. “The current legal framework, which separates investigative and prosecutorial functions, is deliberately designed to safeguard public interest and ensure checks and balances.’’ It has threatened to move in court to block attempts by the Parliament to strip the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) of its mandate, saying that investigators grossly misused prosecutorial duties pre-2010 constitution.
“Courts have already pronounced themselves. Let the EACC stick to their lane. Let them remain investigators, the way the DCI has remained as an investigator. Let the DPP handle their constitutional mandate of deciding whether to charge or not to charge.” On Wednesday last week, the Law Society of Kenya warned that t he constitutional order is under strain, citing concerns over corruption in its inaugural statement for the 2026–2028 term.
The LSK President Charles Kanjama said that the country is facing what he termed as “acute constitutional stress,” warning that public confidence in governance and justice systems is being eroded by institutional failures. Several LSK members at the forum warned that some legislators could be pushing to give EACC prosecutorial powers for self-serving reasons, including avoiding scrutiny or clearance issues ahead of the 2027 polls.