President Ruto Establishes Multi-Agency Team to Intensify War on Corruption

Last Updated on August 19, 2025 by Turkana County News Online

President William Ruto’s administration has announced the formation of a Multi-Agency Team on War Against Corruption (MAT) to spearhead a “whole-of-government” approach in combating graft.

The MAT, created under Executive Order No. 1 of 2025, will be coordinated by the Office of the Attorney General and the State Department for Justice, Human Rights, and Constitutional Affairs (SDOJHRCA). The team is mandated to strengthen collaboration across state institutions and enhance coordinated anti-corruption strategies.

According to the proclamation, the initiative seeks to ensure efficient, synergized, and impactful interventions in line with the constitutional obligation requiring all Kenyans to fight corruption.

The government emphasized that corruption continues to undermine national development and public trust, noting that the MAT will consolidate efforts previously undertaken by ad hoc multi-agency teams.

The MAT will be funded through budgetary allocations from member institutions and other sources, with a strong emphasis on cooperation and information-sharing.

Its objectives include enhancing coordination and collaboration among agencies, engaging relevant government bodies and the private sector to boost anti-graft effectiveness, identifying resource needs for various institutions, sharing best practices and approaches to tackle corruption, developing communication strategies to raise awareness of anti-graft gains, and strengthening domestic and international partnerships to maximize impact.

The proclamation designates key state organs—including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), and Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA)—as core members. The MAT may also co-opt other agencies to broaden its reach.

The government framed the move as a fresh and coordinated assault on corruption, describing it as one of the most serious threats to Kenya’s governance and stability.

By centralizing anti-graft operations, officials said, Kenya hopes to build on previous gains while addressing long-standing institutional weaknesses that have hindered accountability.