Senior Counsel Elisha Ongoya has added his voice to Kenya’s long-running debate on corruption, arguing that the country’s struggle with graft cannot be solved by legislation and institutions alone.
Speaking during an interview on NTV on Friday night, Ongoya reflected on integrity within the justice and law enforcement systems, saying his own professional conduct has been guided by strict ethical standards.
He stated that he has never compromised a judge or magistrate, nor offered a bribe to a police officer, describing the remarks as a statement of personal principle rather than a response to any allegation.
His comments come at a time when Kenya continues to invest heavily in legal and institutional reforms aimed at curbing corruption.
Over the years, the country has established multiple oversight bodies and enacted new laws, yet corruption remains a persistent public concern, particularly within the criminal justice and public service sectors.
Ongoya questioned the effectiveness of relying primarily on legal frameworks to address the problem.
According to him, corruption thrives not because of a lack of laws, but because individuals often fail ethical tests when faced with temptation.
He said the focus should shift towards strengthening personal values and moral responsibility among those entrusted with public authority.
“The corruption that we have in this country today will not possibly be resolved through new laws and new institutions,” Ongoya said during the interview, adding that lasting change requires people to recommit themselves to doing what is right, especially in difficult moments.
The lawyer’s remarks resonate within a broader national conversation on governance and accountability, as Kenyans continue to question why corruption cases rarely result in decisive outcomes despite strong legal provisions.
His perspective highlights the tension between institutional reform and personal accountability in the fight against graft.
While Ongoya did not propose specific policy changes, his comments underscore a growing view among legal professionals that ethical conduct at an individual level remains central to restoring public confidence in Kenya’s justice system.