Kenyans who are weary of entrenched corruption stand to gain significantly from the Whistleblower Protection Bill, 2023, introduced by Kitui Woman Representative Irene Muthoni Kasalu.

The proposed law directly responds to widespread public frustration by creating a safer, clearer and more rewarding pathway for citizens to report corruption without fear of retaliation.
For years, many individuals with crucial information on fraud, theft of public funds and abuse of office have chosen silence over truth. Intimidation, job losses, demotions and legal harassment have discouraged potential whistleblowers, allowing corruption within institutions to thrive unchecked.

The Kasalu Bill confronts this challenge by guaranteeing confidentiality, legal immunity and protection from reprisals, ensuring that integrity is protected rather than punished.
A key strength of the Bill is the introduction of financial incentives.

By allowing whistleblowers to receive up to 10 percent of recovered funds or assets, the law acknowledges the personal and professional risks involved in exposing wrongdoing. This provision is expected to motivate more insiders to share credible information that can lead to arrests, convictions and recovery of stolen public resources.

The Bill also shifts accountability from individuals to institutions. By imposing stiff penalties on organisations that fail to establish whistleblower protection mechanisms, it compels both public and private entities to take internal accountability seriously.

This institutional responsibility closes loopholes that have historically enabled cover-ups and victimisation of whistleblowers.
Oversight by the Commission on Administrative Justice further strengthens the framework by assuring Kenyans that disclosures will be handled professionally, securely and independently. If enacted, the Bill will empower citizens, strengthen institutional accountability and significantly enhance Kenya’s fight against corruption by exposing wrongdoing where it thrives most inside public institutions.