President Uhuru Kenyatta has intensified fight against corruption in the private sector by signing the bribery act 2016 that puts stiff penalties measures against private companies that participate in corruption.
The bribery act prevents directors of private companies from serving in any other companies for up to a decade, contesting in elections and being fined up to five times the bribe received or given.
“The principal objective of the bribery act 2016 is to extend the fight against corruption to the private sector by equally criminalizing bribery in the sector, It provides for specific requirements that private entities must have in place in the prevention of bribery, ” read a statement from State House after the President signed the Bill into law.
The act provides for penalties of up to Sh5 million with a possibility of more fine upon the decision of the Court for anyone found giving or receiving bribes or be jailed for ten years.
“A state officer, a public officer or any other person who despite being aware of or suspicious of the commission of an offence under this Act, fails to report the act to the Commission within the specified period commits an offence,” reads the act.