By OLIVER MUSEMBI
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and Mount Kenya University (MKU) have established a strategic partnership aimed at training the younger generation on comprehensive corruption prevention strategies.
This initiative is designed to instill a robust culture of ethical behaviour and integrity across various spheres of life. As a central component of this collaboration, a specialized course will be developed and offered at MKU, specifically tailored for the broader Kenyan community. This partnership, alongside similar ongoing efforts, is strategically engineered to drastically reduce the societal tolerance of corrupt practices.
According to MKU Chairman and Founder, Prof. Simon Gicharu, it is deeply encouraging to witness statutory bodies like the EACC proactively engaging in preventative training programs rather than focusing solely on reactive, corrective measures. Prof. Gicharu shared these insights during a high-level meeting with an EACC delegation led by Vice-Chairperson Commissioner Dr. Monica Muiru and Commissioner Col. (Rtd) Alfred Mshimba.
Prof. Gicharu, who also serves as the Chairman of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), emphasized that cascading ethics and integrity into the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum at primary and secondary levels makes these values easier for the community to embrace. He noted that teaching integrity to young learners fosters a conscious generation that requires less external monitoring in their daily activities.
“I envision a future where educational institutions require no examination invigilators because every student will have been thoroughly trained in ethics. We look forward to a day when everyone exercises self-supervision. This is a grand vision that we believe should manifest one day,” he stated.
Prof. Gicharu added that the MKU-EACC synergy would be instrumental in national integrity training. He noted that MKU’s affiliate media house, TV47, and other institutional resources will be utilized to amplify the discourse on integrity, encouraging wider participation in the ideals of good governance and responsible citizenship.
The EACC delegation further highlighted the Kenya Integrity Leadership Forum (KILF), an initiative providing a platform for integrity within universities to involve the youth—who represent a vital majority—in the anti-graft struggle. KILF serves as a multi-sectoral platform bringing together public and private stakeholders to advance transparency.
“We are targeting the education sector to reach the youth during their most productive years of innovation and research. We encourage them to explore integrity and good governance,” stated Dr. Muiru. “By instilling these values, the EACC hopes to dismantle the prevalent myth that ethical behaviour is a hindrance to personal or professional success.”
Dr. Muiru added that by working with the university demographic, the country can build a generation that recognizes that ethics actually pays, ensuring that those who uphold integrity do not feel disadvantaged in a competitive world.
MKU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi suggested that integrity should become a mandatory common unit for every student and community member through student-led engagements. He revealed that the university and the EACC will jointly design the integrity course to be accessible to the general public.
This collaboration will feature a series of high-profile activities, including a major public forum scheduled for June 2026 at MKU’s Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre. The ultimate goal is to ensure the impact of this partnership extends far beyond lecture halls and into the fabric of Kenyan society.
