President Ruto Overwhelmingly Voted OCCRP’s ‘Corrupt Person of the Year’
President William Ruto has received a record number of nominations for this year’s Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) ‘Corrupt Person of the Year’.
OCCRP, a global network of investigative journalists created in 2006, focuses on organized crime and corruption.
Since 2012, the OCCRP has given the ‘Person of the Year’ Award to “an individual or institution that has done the most to advance organised criminal activity and corruption in the world.”
In November, the group solicited public submissions for the title.
According to the results revealed on Monday, overthrown Syrian ex-President Bashar Al-Assad was named the world’s ‘Most Corrupt Person,’ with Kenya’s President following closely after as the first runners-up.
Ruto’s second-place finish came despite the fact that, according to the organization, the Kenyan president “received the most public nominations in OCCRP history—over 40,000.”
🏆OCCRP’s 2024 Corrupt Person of the Year is … Bashar al-Assad.
— Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (@OCCRP) December 30, 2024
The ousted Syrian president turned Syria into a narco-state, financing his authoritarian regime through an array of organized crime, including the production and trafficking of Captagon, an addictive street drug. pic.twitter.com/i13pw1ag0o
According to the organization, Kenyans decisively chose President Ruto due to a number of contentious issues that have plagued his administration, particularly in 2024.
They wrote: “Kenyans called out corruption, youth unemployment, and a contentious finance bill. Their extraordinary outpouring and demands for accountability were remarkable.”
The organization also stated that Ruto’s hugely unpopular policies had sparked “extraordinary public outrage.”
“Ruto’s government has faced accusations of greed and corruption, with policies that have fueled economic instability,” OCCRP wrote.
“Protests against his government have led to violence, arrests, and disappearances, further fueling public outrage.”
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Even though Ruto received the most votes, which they confessed shattered the platform’s voting record, the Kenyan president did not win the top spot.
According to the organisation, the OCCRP panel of judges chose Syria’s ex-President because of his “far-reaching and devastating impact.”
In ‘awarding’ the Syrian ex-President, the organisation said, “The ousted Syrian president turned Syria into a narco-state, financing his authoritarian regime through an array of organized crime, including the production and trafficking of Captagon, an addictive street drug.”
“Assad’s regime didn’t just oppress Syrians — it spread violence, drugs, and corruption across the region. From mass graves to chemical weapons, his rule left a devastating legacy of destruction.”
President Ruto Overwhelmingly Voted OCCRP’s ‘Corrupt Person of the Year’
