Journalists, Youth and Partners Mark World Anti-Corruption Day in Eldoret
Lets say NO to Corruption.
The partners pledged to continue working with young people, journalists, and community organizations to further promote integrity and accountability in Uasin Gishu County and beyond. Photo/Achieng Kemuma
By Brenda Muriithi
World Anti-Corruption Day was marked at the Eldoret Media Hub, with the Uasin Gishu Journalist Association and key governance and human rights organisations calling on the youth to take a frontline role in the fight against corruption.
The event, co-organized by Transparency International Kenya, the Centre Against Torture, and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung with European Union support, brought together journalists, members of the civil society, as well as young people, for a roundtable discussion that sought to reinforce accountability mechanisms in Kenya.
Edmond Kipngeno, the Vice-Chair of UGJA, said during the event that corruption had penetrated Kenyan society so strongly that it needed a collective response.
“We held a roundtable conversation on how we can fight this monster together. Corruption is not a one-man show; it calls for the coming together of journalists, civil society, government agencies, and citizens,” he said.
Kipngeno emphasized the critical role youths play, saying that through social media and modern communication tools, they can easily expose ills and demand transparency.
“While the government wants corruption reduced, that cannot happen without the cooperation of its citizens. Anyone found indulging in corruption must face action,” he added.
UGJA member Ibrahim Kiplagat further called upon those in attendance and reiterated that youth make up the majority of Kenya’s population, so they have the power to reshape values at a national level.
“This fight must be a community-led movement. The youth have the numbers and the influence to change the direction of corruption in this country,” he said while thanking the event partners for supporting the initiative.
Representing the Centre Against Torture, Kirui gave a vivid representation of the actual damage corruption is causing among the youths: unemployment, desperation, and growing substance abuse.
“Systems are failing because of corruption. The youth are being pushed into drugs and alcohol, as job opportunities are locked behind bribery. Business environments are corrosive because you must pay a bribe for almost everything,” he said
Mr. Kirui said sustainable change is very personal.
“If every Kenyan said, ‘I will not pay a bribe,’ we would have a country full of soldiers against corruption. It begins with me, it starts with you,” he urged.
Youth representative Esther Namarome shared with us how this event changed her understanding of corruption.
She added: “I used to think that corruption is only bad when it doesn’t involve me. But today, I have realized it hurts the vulnerable and it is going to affect me someday. It cannot sustain us.”
Namarome called on other youths not just to shun corruption, but to challenge it: As World Anti-Corruption Day events took place across the country, the Eldoret event had a single core message: the war against corruption must first begin with empowered youth, responsible leadership, and an informed society. The partners promised to continue collaborating with the youth, the media fraternity, and community-based organizations for the better development of integrity and accountability within Uasin Gishu County and even outside its borders.
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