Industry, Academia partner to promote ethical and legal business practices

Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) has today partnered with the University of Nairobi (UoN) to develop strategies that promote ethical and legal business practices within the private sector.

This partnership seeks to highlight the impact of corruption on the social and economic growth of the manufacturing sector.

Speaking at the forum, High Court Judge and Presiding Judge – Anti-Corruption & Economic Crimes Division, Justice Hedwig Ongudi emphasized the need to identify corruption, as a major constraint to the development of the country.

“As a nation, we have sufficient legislation in place to fight this vice. The Kenyan Government has even enacted legislation to attract both local and foreign investors. However, the full implementation of this is yet to be achieved.

As the pioneer Judge in the Anti-Corruption & Economic Crimes Division,  the enforcement of laws in regard to corruption remain a key focus. Cases brought to the court must be thoroughly investigated in order to get favourable results,” said Lady Justice Ongudi.

UON Deputy Vice Chancellor – Academic Affairs, Prof. Julius Ogeng’o noted that corruption has been identified as one of the biggest impediment to development in Kenya and a serious obstacle to the realization of the Big Four development plan.

“The University of Nairobi continues to support the government’s Big Four agenda for economic development. As a public institution, we seek to promote dialogue on the issue of enforcement and compliance on anti-corruption requirements in the private sector, with a view of developing joint strategies to address the vice, enhance compliance and foster economic growth,” added Prof. Ogeng’o.

Also at the forum, KAM Ag. CEO Tobias Alando reiterated the role of academia in combating corruption, noting that it plays a key role in nurturing perceptions that mitigate allegiance to ethics in business practice.

“Academia plays a critical role in the fight against corruption. Through extensive awareness and research, academia remains the core knowledge provider of the framework of corruption and the anti-corruption mechanisms that should be adopted to protect the economy.

All our good intentions on economic and social development amount to nothing if every single step we take in the right direction is dealt a huge resounding blow by corruption. It is time to rebuild our country and to bring about equality, it is time to take quick, decisive and discernible actions against corruption,” said Mr Alando.

Strategies discussed at the forum include adopting legal compliance requirements on anti-corruption, undertaking anti-corruption audits on governance and revenue, and stakeholder engagement on comparative perspectives of anti-corruption enforcement.