Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Tuesday, April 15, raided the office and the residence of Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi.
Nine other senior county officials also had their premises searched in the raid over suspected embezzlement of public funds and conflict of interest.
The 10 public officials have reportedly been under investigation for the mismanagement of funds in the county.
For months now, political leaders from the county have been calling for investigations into the governor, who replaced embattled former Governor Ferdinand Waititu, who is currently in prison after being convicted in a Ksh588 million graft case.
In February 2024, Kiambu Senator Karungo Wa Thang'wa called on the EACC to investigate the county's payment system, alleging that the governor had switched from an automated one to a manual one.
The senator alleged that this change had created a perfect cover for ghost workers, noting that Ksh390 million had been stolen under this guise.
"The reversion to a manual payroll system, under the guise of technical issues, has created the perfect environment for theft. Suspected ghost workers have received over Ksh390 million in fraudulent payments," Thang'wa stated on February 27, 2024.
He also alleged that 15 officers in the county had amassed over Ksh500 million under this scheme and that over 200 illegally contracted officials were being contracted by the county unlawfully.
"I urge the EACC to act swiftly and decisively in halting this plunder of public resources and bringing those responsible to justice," he stated.
Kikuyu Member of Parliament Kimani Ichung'wah and his Thika Town Alice Ng'ang'a issued similar demands to EACC and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) four months in November 27, 2024.
This followed a report by the Auditor General, which showed clear discrepancies in the county government's expenditure.
MP Ng'ang'a accused the governor of embezzlement of funds, while the National Assembly majority leader called for investigations from the two agencies to determine the cause of the discrepancy.
“I want the DCI and EACC to read the auditor general's report and investigate what happened,” Ichungwah noted.
"Whether you are an MCA or a governor, your days are numbered, and in Kimabu County, the days have finally come. Let EACC and DCI take the report, do investigations and arrest people," Ichung'wah added.
