President William Ruto has called out the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for the repeated dropping of high-profile corruption cases due to an alleged inability to produce witnesses.

In his State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Thursday, Ruto highlighted that such incidents undermine the fight against corruption and impede the country’s progress on social justice, national security, and sustainable development.

According to President Ruto, institutions tasked with combating corruption, including the ODPP and the Judiciary, must stop hiding behind institutional independence and begin to meet the public’s expectations when it comes to addressing corruption.

 “I must caution that all these measures will only achieve intended results if, and only if, the institutions charged with combating corruption and promoting efficiency and integrity stop hiding behind the transparent screen of independence and rise up to meet the people's expectations on matters integrity,” said President Ruto.

“It cannot be the case that the director of public prosecutions keeps dropping cases because, somehow, they are unable to produce witnesses.”

In regards to the Judiciary, Ruto criticized the practice of corruption suspects using anticipatory bail to avoid due process and delay investigations, which he argued further erodes trust in the justice system.

“It also cannot be the case that corruption suspects rush to court to obtain anticipatory bail, which shields them from due process and enables them to compromise investigations. There is also no reason for corruption cases to drag on in our courts for years when the same courts are able to determine election petitions and related disputes within six months,” said President Ruto.  

The President likewise extended his criticism to Parliament, accusing MPs of sabotaging crucial anti-corruption laws, specifically the Conflict of Interest Bill.

He consequently urged the lawmakers to pass the bill without delay, questioning if their hesitation was driven by personal conflicts of interest.

“It is also unacceptable for the Houses of Parliament to deny the nation a much-needed instrument in the war on corruption by continuing to sabotage the passage of the Conflict of Interest Bill. I implore you, members, to stop dragging your feet on this bill unless, my friends, there is a conflict of interest in the passing of the conflict of interest legislation,” he said.  

Ruto also turned his attention to the National Treasury, which he said had failed to implement an e-procurement system for nearly a decade. He set a clear deadline for the system’s roll-out by the first quarter of 2025, underscoring that only procurement conducted through this system would be sanctioned moving forward.

“Of the many difficult assignments I have undertaken, this fight against corruption is one I now take on with resolve going forward. Let this serve as notice to all. Independent institutions charged with this responsibility must up their game, pull up their socks and match up to the expectations of the people of Kenya,” he said.