Chief Justice David Maraga speaking during a church service at Victory SDA Church in Kisumu on September 21, 2019. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

Chief Justice David Maraga has said corruption is eating away a third of Kenya’s national budget every year and called for renewed efforts to help curb it.

The CJ said graft was getting out of hand and challenged Christians to help fight the vice by re-examining their social values.

Delivering a sermon at the Victory SDA Church in Kisumu today, the CJ asked Kenyans to audit themselves to establish if they could be the stumbling block in the fight against corruption and other social evils.

He said in this year’s Sh1.3 trillion national budget, a third of the money will be pocketed by corruption cartels.

“I want you to re-examine yourself. Are you the stumbling block? Are you using opportunities given to you or the church in propagating social ills instead of making things better?” Maraga asked.

He asked Kenyans to re-look into their values and help make the country a better place to live and work in.

“We must not remain lukewarm as Christians. We must stand up to be counted. The Bible says you are either cold or warm. The Lord says if you are lukewarm, he will spit you out,” he said in a sermon on social values and commitment to Christianity.

The Chief Justice downplayed recent squabbles that rocked the church, especially in Nairobi, saying the SDA Church remained strong and committed to preaching the Gospel.