Mudavadi pushes for stronger regional unity to tackle cross-border corruption

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi speaking during the official opening of the Regional Anti-Corruption Authorities Conference in Nairobi on April 23, 2026/OPCS

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi has called for deeper regional and international cooperation in the fight against corruption, warning that illicit financial flows and graft networks have become increasingly transnational and sophisticated.

Speaking during the official opening of the Regional Anti-Corruption Authorities Conference in Nairobi, Mudavadi said corruption no longer respects borders, making isolated national responses insufficient in addressing the growing threat.

“We are bound together by trade, borders, financial systems and shared vulnerabilities. When corruption finds a loophole in one jurisdiction, it does not remain there. It adapts, moves and expands. That is why our response must be regional, coordinated and faster than the networks we are confronting,” he said.

The conference, held under the theme Unmasking Beneficial Ownership in the Fight Against Corruption and Recovery of Assets, has brought together anti-corruption agencies from eight countries under the Eastern Africa Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (EAAACA).

The participating nations include Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Djibouti, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mudavadi underscored the economic cost of corruption, noting that countries with weak governance structures consistently record lower incomes and slower development.

He said there is a strong link between corruption control and economic performance, with well-governed states achieving higher and more stable growth.

“Regions that effectively control corruption tend to achieve higher and more stable income levels, while those that fail remain locked in low-value economic cycles,” he said.

Despite the challenges, the Prime Cabinet Secretary highlighted what he termed as encouraging progress in Kenya’s anti-corruption efforts.

He cited figures from the 2024/2025 Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) report showing that 175 investigation files relating to corruption, economic crimes and ethical breaches were completed and forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The report further indicates that 33 convictions were secured, Sh22.9 billion in illicit and unexplained assets were traced, Sh3.4 billion was recovered, and an additional Sh16.5 billion was prevented from being lost through proactive investigations.

EAAACA Vice President and EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi A. Mohamud also highlighted gains made in asset recovery, saying reclaimed public property is now being redirected towards development projects.

He cited land previously belonging to the Meteorological Department in Nairobi’s Industrial Area, now supporting over 13,000 affordable housing units, alongside developments at Hobley Estate and Buxton in Mombasa earmarked for social housing.

He further pointed to recovered environmental and cultural assets, including Karura Forest land valued at about Sh2.8 billion and Chale Island in Kwale county, which he said are now contributing to conservation and the blue economy.

Mohamud called for enhanced cross-border cooperation, including joint investigations, intelligence sharing and harmonised prosecution standards to strengthen the region’s ability to dismantle corruption networks.

The conference continues through Friday, April 24, with delegates expected to adopt a framework aimed at improving regional coordination in asset recovery and beneficial ownership transparency.