Breaking News-Lumumba out as KACC is disbanded

The Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) has been disbanded following the passage of the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission Act.

KACC Director PLO Lumumba and his assistant directors have been ordered to hand over office to principal officers at the anti-graft body with seven days.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, the chairman of the KACC Advisory Board Okong’o Omogeni said the action was to pave way for the composition of the new anti graft body, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

The bill that sealed KACC fate took effect Sunday when it was assented to by President Mwai Kibaki.

Mr Omogeni said the board would manage the transition for the next 90 days, or until new directors are named.

” The Advisoty Board shall oversee the operations of the Commission for the next three months or until the new commissioners come in” said Omogeni.

He assured that investigations, court cases and other activities of the Commission shall continue as usual.

The KACC Chairman further said the assests, records, documents of the Commission will be fully safeguarded.

” We assure all the remaining staff that the Advisory Board has confidence in their work and the nation expects them to continue with achieving their performance goals”.

Lumumba has been in office for barely one year, having been sworn in on August 6, 2010.

Others to leave office are Dr John Mutonyi who has been Deputy Director in charge of Investigations and Asset Tracking, Prof Jane Onsongo, the Assistant Director Preventive Services, lawyer Pravin Bowry Assistant Director for Legal Services and Asset Recovery and Wilson Shollei is the Assistant Director in charge of Finance and Administration.

Kaca was reconstituted in 1999, with the appointment of a new director and a new advisory board.

In September 2003, the KACC Advisory Board appointed Justice Aaron Ringera as the first director of KACC. Ringera left office last year.