NAIROBI, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed on Wednesday to continue with the fight against rampant corruption, saying his government will spare no efforts to recover all resources stolen from Kenyans.
Kenyatta whose government arrested more than 50 suspects linked to the 90 million U.S. dollar scandal and charged them in court, said all resources and monies recovered will be redirected to the original development purposes they were intended for.
"There will be no mercy for the thieves. Their days are numbered. They will be prosecuted and jailed," he said at a public forum in Nairobi.
Kenyatta reaffirmed his message on corruption, saying all culprits will be prosecuted and jailed.
His warning comes after the country's Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Mohamed Harji said more than 50 public officials and over ten private sector individuals would be investigated for their involvement in a suspected theft of 90 million dollars from the country's National Youth Service (NYS).
NYS is the country's premier vocational training institute for under-privileged youth involved in some of its flagship projects.
The organization is populated by volunteers who receive government stipends while undergoing technical training and assisting with government projects.
Kenyatta cautioned Kenyans to stop using tribal sentiments to defend individuals caught in the web of corruption.
He said all corrupt Kenyans must be identified as individuals irrespective of the tribes they came from.
"I do not want to hear anybody defending those caught in corrupt dealings. A thief is a thief irrespective of the tribe he/she comes from," said the President.
Meanwhile, eighteen Western envoys have lauded Kenya's renewed commitment to fight corruption and pledged to support the efforts.
The envoys from Britain, the United States, EU and Germany said they will stand with the East African nation in its quest to deal with the scourge and called for fair trial process.
"We urge that Kenya's judiciary take swift action, consistent with the rule of law, to ensure fair trials and justice. Corruption has long undermined Kenya's prosperity, security, and democracy," they said in a joint statement issued in Nairobi.
The foreign diplomats said corruption requires strong Kenyan political leadership, a commitment to zero tolerance for corruption, and all government and law enforcement agencies working together.
The diplomats welcomed the recent action by the Director of Public Prosecutions, working with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, to charge officials and others in connection with reports of widespread corruption at the NYS.
"We also welcome President Kenyatta's statements and actions to address the corruption scourge. When there is evidence of corruption, those responsible should be prosecuted regardless of political party, social stature, or personal connections," said the envoys.
