The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has begun a week-long engagement with the Kilifi County Government to identify loopholes and weaknesses that could expose public resources to corruption.

The exercise, led by EACC Coast Region Manager George Oira, brings together County Executive Committee Members, Chief Officers and Directors from various departments as the commission undertakes a comprehensive Corruption Risk Assessment.

Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro says the exercise is part of his administration’s efforts to adopt a preventive approach to corruption by identifying risks, closing loopholes and strengthening internal controls within the county government.

Mung’aro says the focus is not only on responding to corruption after it occurs, but on putting systems in place to prevent abuse of public resources.

The county is also working with the German development agency GIZ to strengthen two governance frameworks , the Access to Information (ATI) and Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM).

The initiatives are intended to improve transparency and accountability by enabling residents to access public information and raise complaints concerning the delivery of county services and management of public resources.

Mung’aro says every county officer has a responsibility to uphold integrity and ensure public funds are used for the benefit of residents.

The week-long EACC assessment is expected to provide an opportunity to identify vulnerabilities within county operations and recommend measures to strengthen institutional safeguards.