Training of Integrity Assurance Officers (IAOs) Program Offered at National Integrity Academy

The UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) requires that the State Parties “promote education and training programmes to enable public officials to meet the requirements for the correct, honorable and proper performance of public functions.” It is thus paramount to provide public officers with specialized ethics, integrity and anticorruption training for an efficient public service in order to enhance the economic growth and prosperity of our nation.

In efforts to address the challenge of corruption and unethical practices in public service, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption has adopted diverse strategies. Some of which include, the training of Integrity Assurance Officers (IAOs) and the setting up of Corruption Prevention Committees (CPC). The National Integrity Academy trains Integrity Assurance officers (IAO) from various public sector institutions to strengthen their capacity to prevent and combat corruption in their institutions.

The Commission recognizes that the fight against corruption is a responsibility of all Kenyans requiring collaboration and partnership and a multifaceted approach. Various stakeholders must play their role for the fight against corruption to succeed.

The training of IAOs aims at building the ethical capacity of public institutions to prevent corruption, develop institutional anti-corruption policy documents, establish internal corruption reporting mechanisms, evaluate internal implementation of anti-corruption initiatives and establish internal and external linkages on corruption prevention. The overall aim is to strengthen accountability mechanisms.

The Academy had trained over 300 participants as IAOs during the 2019/2020 financial year. The participants were drawn from mainstream Public Institutions, Parastatals, Independent Commissions, Academic Institutions and County Governments.  The following were some of the institutions that participated in the Integrity Assurance Officers Training Programme. These include:- Marsabit County, Elgeyo Marakwet County(Sponsored by GIZ), Kenya Ports Authority, Nairobi water and sewerage company, Jaramogi Ogonga Odinga University, County Government of Siaya, County Assembly of Siaya,, and Masinde Muliro University, The National Police Service, The Presidency,  The Kisumu Polytechnic, Kisii National Polytechnic and Siaya Institute of Technology, Lake Victoria South Water Works Development  Agency among others.

An Integrity Assurance Officer (IAO) is an officer selected, trained and assigned duties to offer technical expertise in the promotion of a culture of integrity and the implementation of corruption prevention strategies in his or her respective institution.

The lead IAO and his/her team have the responsibility of assisting the Chief Executive and the Corruption Prevention Committee to:

• Carry out Corruption Risk Assessment (CRAs) within their institutions.
• Develop and implement Corruption Prevention Plans (CPPs) for their institutions.
• Identify areas within their organizations, which are vulnerable to corruption and advising their ministries or organizations accordingly.
• Develop and implement Codes of Conduct to improve the culture and ethical behavior in their institutions
• Develop governance instruments such as corruption prevention polices and public service charters and codes of conduct
• Sensitize members of staff on the phenomenon of corruption and the anti-corruption legal framework
• Communicate positive attitudes and developing adequate capacity so as to serve as effective change agents
• Establish effective corruption reporting systems within their organizations

The IAO will serve as secretary to their respective Corruption Prevention Committees/Integrity Committees

The Academy, which is the training arm of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, aims to promote a culture of integrity in all sectors of society. It also seeks to enhance the capacity of agencies, institutions and practitioners to combat and prevent corruption and unethical practices.

The purpose of the training, which was rolled out at Sunrise Resort and Spa in Mombasa, was to equip trainees with knowledge, skills and tools with which to promote ethics, integrity and good governance. It is considered vital since corruption prevention is one of the performance contracting annual targets on which institutions are supposed to report progress on a quarterly basis to EACC.

The training covered topics such as the psychology of corruption, shaping organizational culture, anti- corruption legal framework and role of County Ward Administrators in enhancing service delivery among others. Participants were required to prepare and thereafter implement corruption prevention plans.

The establishment of the National Integrity Academy by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) stems from Commission’s mandate to combat and prevent corruption, economic crime and unethical practices as stipulated in Sections 11 and 13 of the EACC Act, 2011. In addition, Section 53 of the Leadership and Integrity Act, ... read more