President William Ruto’s cabinet sealed public servant’s fate Tuesday when it approved the Conflict of Interest Bill, 2023.
The Bill heralds a new dawn in the management of public affairs, barring public servants from doing private business.
It introduces strong legal safeguards against the real, apparent, or potential conflict between the private interests of public servants on one hand and the public interest and their official duties on the other.
“The Bill seeks to provide a framework for the management of conflict of interest on the part of State and Public Officers arising from the discharge of their official duties,” reads the note from the cabinet.
Once enacted into law, would mark the end of the era where public servants would subordinate their official duties to their private and commercial interests.
Cabinet has also reviewed the previous Cabinet decision of 1971 adopting the Ndegwa Commission Report of 1971’s recommendation that public servants be given nearly unlimited scope to engage in private interests and commercial affairs.
During his presidential campaign last year, Ruto cried foul over Cabinet Secretaries getting involved in political affairs, a majority of whom took sides with his political nemesis, Raila Odinga – contract to the dictates of the law.
Article 73 (2) of the Constitution on leadership and integrity demands all State and public officers to declare “any personal interest that may conflict with public duties.”
