President William Ruto has defended his administration’s record on tackling corruption, saying his government has taken significant steps to strengthen institutions responsible for fighting graft.
Speaking during an interview with Al Jazeera, Ruto said his government is “doing absolutely everything” to curb corruption, including enacting new legislation and boosting funding for key agencies.
“I did sign into law a bill that prohibits public officers from participating in certain activities that promote corruption. Now it is law,” the President said, referring to recent legal reforms aimed at tightening accountability in public service.
He noted that the government has also increased financial and human resources for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to enhance their capacity to investigate and prosecute corruption cases.
“We have deployed additional resources to the anti-corruption agency and to the Director of Public Prosecution,” Ruto said.
“We have hired more judges I think I have hired the most judges than any president in three years to make sure that the criminal justice system, the judiciary, is properly enabled to deal with all manner of issues, especially corruption.”
Ruto’s comments come amid growing public frustration, particularly among young Kenyans, over corruption and governance concerns.
The President was responding to questions about the wave of youth-led protests that have challenged his administration on issues ranging from corruption to economic hardship.
“The protesters are all young. They are the Gen Z,” Ruto acknowledged, adding that many of the same young people had previously been among his supporters.
Ruto maintained that his government is committed to accountability and reform, public skepticism remains high, with critics arguing that systemic graft continues to undermine public trust and service delivery.
The President, however, insisted that the reforms underway will yield results over time, positioning Kenya’s justice system to effectively tackle corruption and restore public confidence in government institutions.
