Forest conservator renews purge on graft

KFS Chief Forest Conservator Alex Lemarkoko and UNODC’s Giovanni Borusaard at the launch. [Samson Wire, Standard]

The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has rolled out a revamped policy strategy to stop all forms of corruption within the agency.

KFS says that it partnered with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to revise its new corruption prevention policy, whistleblowing policy and the Code of Conduct and Ethics.

According to KFS Chief Forest Conservator Alex Lemarkoko who presided over the launch of the policy documents, whistleblower protection will ensure that both internal and external stakeholders who raise legitimate corruption concerns are not victimised.

“Whistleblowers provide invaluable service to the Service and the general public and are vital in preventing loss of public funds and damage to the corporate reputation,” said Lemarkoko.

Lemarkoko has further exuded confidence in the current corruption policy, terming it as one that will tighten the loose ends in their fight against graft through the promotion of transparency and accountability.

“The Code of Conduct and Ethics aims to ensure that   KFS staff respect the values, principles and requirements of the Constitution,” he said, adding that all employees will be required to sign the document as proof of understanding.

To achieve this KFS has published eight thousand copies of its Code of Conduct, two thousand and five hundred copies of Corruption Prevention and another two thousand and five hundred copies of Whistle-blowing policy to be distributed to staff.

Also present at the launch event was Giovanni Borusaard, the regional Coordinator for Africa Environment Team at United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) which partners with KFS financial, advisory and technical levels.

A successful fight against corruption will help KFS effectively deliver on protection of Kenya’s forest resources and contribute to Kenya's target of putting at least thirty percent of its land under forest cover by 2032.