The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested four former Nyamira County officials for the alleged abuse of office during their tenure.
In a statement on its official X account on Monday, March 3, the EACC stated that the four—three men and one woman—illegally appointed 56 staff members in the Department of Gender, Youth, Culture, and Social Services.
The officials who were arrested include a former Nyamira County Executive Committee member, a former Commissioner of the Nyamira County Public Service Board, a former Principal Culture Officer, and the former Assistant Director of Administration.
According to the EACC, some of the appointed staff were placed in positions that were neither sanctioned by the Cabinet nor accounted for in the budget for the 2016/2017 financial year.
"The suspects are alleged to have irregularly hired 56 officers through a process that was tainted by allegations of influence peddling, corruption, nepotism, and clannism," it stated.
According to the Commission, the four suspects are currently being held at the Kisii Central Police Station and are waiting for alignment on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
The announcement comes hours after the commission announced the arrest of another government official working with the Lands Control Board in Meru after being caught soliciting bribes.
According to the EACC, the suspect was arrested after detectives from the commission received a tip-off from a complainant who had sold his land and required consent from the board to transfer it.
The arrested officer is reported to have demanded a bribe from the complainant, prompting him to inform the EACC about the ordeal.
"The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested a Tigania West Lands Control Board member on an allegation of soliciting bribes from members of the public to process approvals on various land matters," a statement from the EACC read in part.
"The suspect was nabbed by EACC sleuths following a tip-off from a complainant who had sold off his 0.25 hectares of land and required consent from the board to transfer the property," it added.
Upon receiving the tip-off, the detectives pursued the suspect, who was later arrested in the act while accepting the bribe.
"EACC investigators conducted an operation and arrested the suspect while receiving the bribe. After the arrest, the investigators recovered a total of Ksh 70,000 suspected to be proceeds of corruption," the EACC stated.
The suspect was booked at Isiolo Police Station for the offence of receiving a bribe as further processing of the case continues.
