President William Ruto has returned the Conflict of Interest Bill, 2023 to Parliament, citing concerns that the legislation falls short of meeting the expectations of Kenyans in the fight against corruption.
The move now places the spotlight back on Members of Parliament, who will need a two-thirds majority to overturn the President’s decision and pass the bill in its current form.
The proposed law seeks to bar public officers from engaging in activities that present a conflict with public interest, introduce mandatory declarations of potential conflicts, and enforce strict penalties for violations.
However, President Ruto has expressed strong reservations over recent amendments made to the bill by lawmakers, which he argues undermine the mandate of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
The contentious amendments—pushed through by Parliament—would have allowed senior public officials, including MPs, governors, Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and heads of parastatals, to participate in public tenders, a move seen by critics as opening the floodgates for unchecked self-enrichment.
Moreover, the revisions also sought to scrap the requirement for public officials to regularly declare their wealth, including that of their spouses and close relatives—a key tool previously used to track and curb unexplained accumulation of wealth.
President Ruto had earlier vowed to reject any legal provisions that weaken the country’s anti-graft mechanisms, stating that public service must remain anchored on accountability, integrity, and transparency.
