Anti-graft agencies in DRC, Kenya join hands to fight vice

The partnership is part of bilateral deals signed in April 2021 between President Félix Tshisekedi and his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta. The two leaders pledged to fight corruption, money laundering and cross-border economic crimes.

The signing of the deal to fight graft took place in the presence of the Congolese Minister of Justice Rose Mutombo, while the Kenyan delegation was represented by Twalib Mbarak who is the Chief Executive of the EACC.

The APLC was created in March 2020 with a mission of preventing and fighting corruption. In the new, partnership the DRC agency hopes to tap into the experience of the EACC, which has existed for 23 years.

“We hope that there will be capacity building of the APLC because our Kenyan brothers have more experience,” said the Congolese Minister of Justice.

In his remarks, Mbarak said EACC’s role will include providing technical support to the Congolese agency in using new information and communication technologies.

Mbarak said African countries are experiencing a lot of corruption because of the slow evolution of new information and communication technologies.

“Most transactions are done manually, which encourages fraud and corruption,” he said.

While sharing his organisation’s experience in tracking down graft, Mbarak said:

“Although EACC has been around for more than 20 years, we are not coming as a big brother, but as an equal partner. We want African solutions for African problems. Kenya and the DRC have the same challenges. Each has a role to play in the fight against corruption.”