War on graft: Parliament and Executive undermining Judiciary - Mudavadi

ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi doubts the Executive and Parliament's sincerity in the fight against corruption.

Mudavadi said the two arms of government have been paying lip service while undermining the Judiciary and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

"We have noted with concern attempts by both the Executive and the Legislature to arm-twist the Judiciary through thinly veiled verbal innuendo as well as starvation of funds in budgetary allocations," Mudavadi said.

He spoke in Mombasa on Monday where he delivered his New Year message to Kenyans.

Mudavadi said he expects Parliament to play a bigger role in the fight against graft.

He questioned the wisdom in allocating almost three times more money to Parliament with seven times less staff than to the Judiciary.

"Parliament allocated itself Sh46 billion. It has about 1,000 staff and works for only two days a week. The Judiciary with 7,000 staff working five days a week is allocated Sh15 billion. How?" questioned Mudavadi.

He said the anti-graft agency and the ODPP are underfunded, yet they are expected to deliver.

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The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission was allocated Sh3.6 billion while the ODPP had to make do with Sh3.4 billion.

Mudavadi, however, commended the efforts of the DCI and the DPP to fight corruption.

"We will keep the government on its toes to ensure that it has facilitated the DCI, the EACC, the ODPP and the Judiciary," Mudavadi said.

"These institutions should double their efforts so as not to roll back their gains this far."

He said beneficiaries of corruption should not be left to enjoy the proceeds, even after their conviction and sentencing.

The agencies fighting corruption should trace assets and properties acquired using proceeds of corruption and restore them to the public, the ANC leader said.

He warned politicians against attempts to make corruption an ethnic factor.

"ANC will lead the campaign to separate theft from tribe," he said.

He encouraged Kenyans to join in the fight against corruption and negative ethnicity.