Senior Homa Bay County Official's Wife Receiving Sh600,000 Salary

The wife of a senior Homa Bay county official is under investigation after the discovery that she has been receiving a monthly salary and allowances amounting to Sh600,000 from the County Assembly.

The woman, who is not an employee of the County Assembly, is also said to be a key supplier for the Assembly through a company registered under her name.

It is alleged that the woman's husband is the leader of a cartel that facilitates the corrupt practices within the House.

"One of the companies whose name we have is owned by a senior official at the assembly but is registered in his wife's name. The information we have found is that the official has been authorizing payments to his wife. Therefore, he is the one leading the cartel," a source revealed.  

The alarming details were revealed during an inquiry led by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Southern Nyanza regional offices.

The commission's regional boss, Mr Abraham Kemboi confirmed that the County Assembly was under investigation for the loss of  Sh400 Million. 

According to The Standard, sources within the EACC and the County Assembly have disclosed that the Homa Bay county administration has been misappropriating funds since 2014 through illegitimate tender allocations and salaried ghost workers.

"The assembly has been paying millions to companies associated with senior officials. Money has been paid to phantom companies that have done no work for the assembly. There are also other friends and relatives who have been receiving pay unlawfully." the sources reiterated.

The scandal comes soon after Gem Member of Parliament, Jakoyo Midiwo accused the county's governor, Cyprian Awiti, of defrauding the residents. Midiwo hinted at the administration's involvement in corruption and nepotism. 

The EACC has launched a lifestyle audit on the senior officials linked to the scandal and has issued summons for 30 county assembly workers and 8 members of county assembly.

 Mr Kemboi declined to give further comments on the matter but reassured the public that the case is progressing well and would soon achieve its objective.

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