The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has issued a stern warning to politicians and public officials who attach their names, photographs or political symbols to projects paid for by taxpayers, saying the practice amounts to an abuse of office and could lead to legal action.
The advisory comes as political activity gathers pace ahead of Kenya’s 2027 General Election, with concerns growing over leaders seeking personal credit for projects financed through public funds.
In a statement, EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud said the commission had received numerous reports of elected and appointed leaders branding roads, schools, water projects, ambulances and other government-funded programmes with their personal identities.
“Various reports received by the Commission indicate that certain political leaders have consistently branded publicly funded projects and programmes with their personal names, images and symbols,” Mohamud said.
He stressed that while public officials deserve recognition for their service, government projects belong to the people of Kenya not individual politicians.
The commission said the practice creates the false impression that projects are privately funded or personal donations, rather than investments made using taxpayers’ money. It warned that such conduct undermines constitutional principles of integrity, accountability and prudent use of public resources.
The EACC cited provisions of the Constitution, the Public Finance Management Act and the Leadership and Integrity Act, arguing that public resources must never be used to advance personal or political interests.
To curb the trend, the commission directed all state and public officers to immediately stop using public resources for personal branding. It also instructed ministries, counties and other public institutions to ensure projects do not display the names, portraits or political symbols of serving leaders at any stage of implementation.
Where acknowledgement is necessary, the EACC said project signage should identify only the responsible government institution and clearly indicate whether funding came from the national or county government.
The warning is likely to resonate across both national and county governments, where roads, markets, health facilities and school buses have increasingly carried the names or images of governors, MPs and other elected leaders.
The anti-graft agency said it will monitor compliance and warned that officials who ignore the directive could face administrative or legal sanctions.
The move signals a broader effort by the commission to reinforce ethical leadership as Kenya heads towards another election cycle, reminding public officials that development projects are funded by citizens and should remain public assets not campaign tools.
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