NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya has unveiled new guidelines to strengthen the prosecution of corruption and economic crimes, marking a major step in the country’s fight against graft.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) launched the Guidelines on the Prosecution of Corruption and Economic Crimes, 2025 in Nairobi on Thursday, just hours after DPP Renson Ingonga directed the prosecution of Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok and former Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati over graft-related charges.
Ingonga said the new framework would enhance accountability, consistency, and fidelity to the Constitution in prosecutorial decision-making.
“Corruption has long undermined our country’s development, eroded public trust, and denied essential services to citizens,” Ingonga said. “These guidelines provide a structured framework to guide prosecutors nationwide.”
The rules set uniform standards for charging decisions, strengthen coordination between investigative agencies, and address emerging challenges such as the use of technology in concealing financial crimes.
They also introduced a reporting system to improve the tracking of corruption cases and encourage alternatives such as plea bargaining to speed up justice.
Ingonga stressed that collaboration remains central to the ODPP’s Strategic Plan 2023–2027.
“Effective cooperation in the justice sector must prioritize partnership over prestige, and cooperation over competition,” he said, thanking the European Union (EU) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for their support.
The launch comes amid a wave of prosecutions targeting high-profile officials.
Governor Barchok faces charges of conflict of interest and unlawful acquisition of public property, while Wangamati and a network of county officials and contractors are accused of embezzling over Sh70 million in Bungoma County.
Other ongoing probes involve Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi and Marsabit Governor Mohamed Ali, both accused of benefiting from multi-million-shilling procurement schemes.
Lady Justice Lucy Njuguna, who represented the Chief Justice at the launch, welcomed the guidelines as timely in addressing what she called “a global challenge that undermines justice delivery.”
Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo warned that corruption continues to rob Kenyans of dignity and services.
“It is the ghost in every stalled project, the shadow behind inflated tenders, and the silent hand that denies citizens dignity,” she said.
The ODPP described the guidelines as part of a broader strategy to strengthen Kenya’s justice system and restore public confidence.
“Prosecution is a public trust,” Ingonga said. “No one is above the law, and no one is beneath its protection.”
