The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is pursuing entrenched corruption schemes in Western Kenya counties, targeting senior county officials and assemblies accused of actively facilitating graft instead of fighting it.
The Commission has revealed that it is in the process of sealing weak systems and deliberate loopholes in county operations that have turned devolution into a playground for looters, with Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) under probe for blackmailing governors and executives using impeachment threats.
The MCAs were singled out for fuelling corruption by demanding tenders and jobs for their relatives and supporters, with threats of impeachment or transfers against executives who resist.
In one county, six MCAs are under investigation over tenders worth Ksh144.2 million awarded to 40 companies linked to their families and associates. In another, eight senior officials are facing probes into Ksh1.4 billion in fraudulent tenders.
Speaking during the launch of a corruption risk assessment workshop for Kakamega County Government on Monday, EACC Western Region Manager Eric Ngumbi confirmed that investigations had uncovered widespread collusion between governors, executives, and MCAs to siphon billions of shillings through fraudulent contracts, fake pending bills, and the theft of hospital revenues.
“Some public officials, especially in the counties, have betrayed public trust and transformed their entrusted positions into opportunities to illegitimately enrich themselves, their families, friends, and associates,” he said, adding that the Commission has recovered billions in stolen funds and is pursuing high-profile cases in the region.
Schemes Used
Among the emerging schemes flagged are the use of junior officers to register proxy companies paid for services never delivered, bulk imprest withdrawals diverted to senior officials, and failure to remit statutory deductions from employees’ salaries.
Hospitals, which by law are allowed to retain revenue, have also been turned into cash cows for looters.
The Commission said such collusion has weakened the oversight role of assemblies, leaving the public exposed.
“Every shilling stolen is a child denied education, a mother denied healthcare, and a community denied development. Every act of corruption diminishes the dignity of our people,” the EACC regional boss stressed.
EACC pointed to the recently enacted Conflict of Interest Act, 2025, signed into law last month, as a tool to curb such practices, but noted that success would depend on whether counties implement recommendations from corruption risk assessments.
The agency urged governors and county executives to take leadership in sealing corruption loopholes, warning that deliberate obstruction of EACC investigations, including failure to hand over documents, is a criminal offence.
The Commission pledged to intensify asset recovery, lifestyle audits, and monitoring of capital projects to protect devolution from being “hijacked by thieves.”
