EACC Goes After Siaya County Officials in Ksh400 Million Scandal

Siaya Governor and Senior Counsel James Orengo giving his submissions at the Supreme Court on August 31, 2022
Siaya Governor, Senior Counsel James Orengo giving his submissions at the Supreme Court on August 31, 2022
File

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has initiated action against county officials linked to a Ksh400 million scandal in Siaya. 

According to a statement dated Friday, September 30, the anti-graft body explained that the officials from the Siaya County government staged mass siphoning of taxpayers' money.

In their statement, EACC noted that the officials defied Governor James Orengo's embargo on procurements and payments and instead went ahead to wire funds to their accounts. 

"EACC has launched investigations into the alleged theft of Ksh400 Million through illegal withdrawals by Senior Officials of the Siaya County Government during the transition period following the August 2022 General Election," the statement read in part.

Siaya Governor and Senior Counsel James Orengo giving his submissions at the Supreme Court on August 31, 2022
Siaya Governor, Senior Counsel James Orengo giving his submissions at the Supreme Court on August 31, 2022
File

"It is alleged that despite a moratorium stopping procurements, payment of allowances and pending bills by the new Siaya Governor, the officials went ahead and fraudulently paid themselves hundreds of millions of public funds," it added.

According to a previous expose done by Nation Africa, the said county officials executed the heist in the run-up to the August 9 polls.

EACC is specifically investigating claims of fraudulent acquisition of funds amounting to Ksh72 million, which was set aside for installing the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) unit at Siaya Referral Hospital.

The anti-graft body is also looking into how Ksh112 million was channelled into some official bank accounts with some receiving funds ranging between Ksh650,000 and Ksh716,000 under the imprest account.

"It is further alleged that staff who objected to the fraudulent activities were transferred and replaced with new ones who were irregularly employed, without any advertisement. The new team is reported to have gone ahead to facilitate the fraudulent scheme," EACC added.

The massive looting was allegedly orchestrated when former county boss Cornel Rasanga was preparing to hand over the instruments of power to Orengo.

In his statement, Orengo explained that he had stopped the procurement process. The governor also vowed not to pay pending bills until a proper forensic analysis was done.

"We have stopped payment of pending bills until verification and confirmation, save in the cases of essential services and emergencies. No procurement is being undertaken nor new contracts awarded until we are done with the application of prompt and effective interventions," Orengo wrote.

Other than Siaya, EACC also opened a probe into the alleged embezzlement of Ksh196 million by five officials in Isiolo county

EACC center, Nairobi
A photo of the EACC headquarters, at Integrity House in Nairobi.
Photo
EACC
  • . .