Senator Eddy Oketch: The executive is the most corrupt arm of govt
Migori County Senator Eddy Oketch has stated that the executive remains the arm of government most gripped with the scourge of corruption.
Speaking during a live TV interview on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Oketch indicated that while President William Ruto’s remarks on corruption in the legislature could be factual, the war on graft should start from where it is more entrenched.
“There is more corruption in the executive where the president serves, and the counties where governors serve. The Senate, National Assembly, and County Assemblies have the lowest corruption levels because they do not have substantive budgets to carry out development projects,” Oketch remarked.
Executive downwards
“Kenyans could have been happier if the war on corruption had begun from the executive downwards.”
The remarks come hot on the heels of an intense debate by both houses of parliament to call Ruto to order after he indicted them in engaging in extortion and corruption to write favourable reports.
During the joint Parliamentary Group meeting between UDA and ODM, Ruto sent a warning that corrupt legislators would not only be named and shamed but also arrested.
War on graft
“We are not going to shame them, we are going to arrest them, whoever is giving and whoever is being given, we shall sort them out.
“Do you, for example, know that a few members of your committee collected Ksh10 million so that you can pass the law on anti-money laundering? Did you get the money?” Ruto posed.
He has since formed a multi-agency team to deal with the issues of corruption raised during the PG meeting on Monday, August 18, 2025.
In the 10-point agenda within which the broad-based government pact is hinged, corruption features high in the list.
While the implementation of the 10-point agenda is key to the survival of the unity pact between ODM party leader Raila Odinga and Ruto, the corruption issues have opened a Pandora’s box, which now threatens the very existence of the executive.
A section of MPs now questions Ruto’s commitment to protecting the houses of parliament from attacks on their credibility.
