EACC Denies Refusal to Clear Oparanya for Cabinet Secretary Nomination
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has rejected claims that it has blocked Wycliffe Oparanya’s nomination for the role of Cabinet Secretary for Co-operatives and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development.
On Saturday, August 3, the EACC clarified in a statement that it does not possess the authority to approve or disqualify individuals from public positions.
“The Commission has noted a false narrative being bandied around by a section of leaders that it ‘refused to clear Hon. Wycliffe Oparanya for appointment as Cabinet Secretary.’ This is not the true position.
“The Commission clarifies that in its role in the integrity vetting of candidates for public office under the current law, the Commission cannot clear or bar anyone from holding any office in the land. It is not within our mandate,” read the statement in part.
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The commission emphasized that its responsibility in the vetting process is to present factual information concerning the integrity of each candidate as of the specified date, without making any evaluative judgments.
The EACC highlighted that it has shared factual details about other Cabinet nominees with Parliament, and it will be up to the National Assembly Appointments Committee to determine how to use the commission’s information.
“For more clarity, there is nowhere in our letter to the National Assembly where the Commission recommended that anybody should or should not be cleared or appointed,” EACC stated.
Oparanya faces allegations of misappropriating Sh1.3 billion from the Kakamega County government during his tenure.
The nominee for Cooperatives CS is scheduled to appear before the National Assembly Appointments Committee for scrutiny on Sunday, August 4, 2024.
EACC Denies Refusal to Clear Oparanya for Cabinet Secretary Nomination
