President William Ruto has slammed Parliament for derailing the fight against corruption by ''sabotaging" the passage of a proposed law to address conflict of interest.
"I implore you Hon Members that you must stop dragging your feet and stop sabotaging the passage of the Conflict of Interest Bill,'' Ruto said.
"Unless my friends, there is a conflict in passing the conflict of interest legislation,"' he added.
Speaking when he addressed Parliament in his State of the Nation Address, Ruto said Parliament must move swiftly and pass the bill to aid the war on graft.
The President also changed the National Treasury to roll out the e-procurement system that has been in abeyance for the last 10 years.
"I have directed the National Treasury to roll out the e-procurement system by the first quarter of 2025,'' Ruto said.
The President said this will ensure that only services sanctioned are procured and paid for.
The Conflict of Interest Bill which is currently in parliament seeks to impose stringent sanctions against government officials found culpable of engaging in government business to amass ill-gotten wealth.
It also seeks to eliminate corruption within the government that has turned many public officers into overnight millionaires despite their relatively modest salaries.
The piece of legislation includes several critical clauses that public officials must adhere to, ensuring a clear separation between their official duties and private interests.
Speaking during the handover of assets by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) last month, the Head of State revealed he already held talks with the parliamentary leadership about advancing the bill for presidential assent.
President Ruto, while insisting on the matter, vowed to turn down the bill if it failed to establish a high standard of accountability, integrity and anti-corruption measures.
“I have engaged with parliamentary leadership and I urge parliament to swiftly pass the conflict of interest bill,” Ruto directed.
“I am told that there is a mediation process going on in parliament but I have told them with clarity that I will veto any bill that doesn’t establish a high standard of accountability and integrity,” he added.
According to Ruto, he had been notified about the attempts by a section of lawmakers to water down the bill that sought to restructure the anti-graft rules.
