Kenya’s President Kenyatta vows unrelenting war on graft despite losing friends

david nganga

August 12, 2018 3:16 PM

The President says the recent war on corruption has cost him friends

President Uhuru Kenyatta has said that he will not relent in the fight against corruption even though it has cost him friends and allies.

Speaking during a church service in Nairobi, Mr Kenyatta vowed to fight impunity which he said prevents the country from achieving its dreams.

“Over the last few weeks I have lost so many friends. I have received many calls being asked ‘how can you sit and just watch all this destruction going on. You must stop it.’

But i said, it is difficult to stop, not because we love to destroy but because we must fight impunity,” he said.

His comments come on the back of ongoing demolitions by national environment watchdog, Nema, to reclaim occupied wetlands in Nairobi.

Riparian land

The government has earmarked 4,000 buildings for demolition because they sit on riparian land, public utility plots and road reserves.

"If we fail to fight impunity we will not achieve our dreams.A time has come for us to fight impunity, a time has come for every Kenyan to realise no matter how powerful you think you or how much money you have, that will not save you," Mr Kenyatta said.

On Thursday, the head-of-state said the government will not only continue demolishing structures lying on riparian lands, but will also go after public officers who sanctioned the illegal constructions.

david nganga