President Uhuru Kenyatta has in a bid to tame the massive corruption that has rocked his government, asked all public officials who have adversely been linked with graft to step aside and pave way for investigation.

Uhuru, who was addressing the nation during his official parliamentary State of the Nation address, maintained that his administration expects the highest standard of integrity from those that hold high office.

“The time has come to send a strong signal to the country that my administration will accept nothing less than the highest standard of integrity from those that hold high office,” he said.

“Consequently, I hereby direct that all officials of the national and county governments that are adversely mentioned in this report, whether you are a Cabinet secretary, principal secretary, or chief executive of a state institution, to immediately step aside pending conclusion of the investigations of the allegations against them. I expect the other arms of government, namely the Legislature and the Judiciary, to do the same,” he added. “

Uhuru said that he had handed over a report on graft, which contains a “catalogue of allegations of high-level corruption touching on all arms and levels of government to the speaker of National Assembly Justus Muturi.

The report was handed over to the president by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Mr Halakhe Waqo.

The list of shame, as Kenyans are now referring to the report, is said to include all 26 members of the Public Accounts Committee in Parliament, among other MPs, heads of parastatals and various principal secretaries.

Lands cabinet secretary Charity Ngilu, labour CS Kazungu Kambi and Energy CS Davies Chirchir are among leaders who have been linked to corruption scandals and are being probed by the EACC.

Section 132 of the constitution mandates the president to address a special sitting of parliament once every year and also to report, address the nation, on all measures taken and the progress achieved in the realization of the national values and governance.

Kenyans have lauded the move by the president and everyone is waiting anxiously to see the next move.