Angry Protestors Storm Governor's Office

Police battling protestors in Kisumu
Police battling protestors in Kisumu
Citizen Digital

Angry residents of Siaya on Tuesday, August 31, stormed the Governor's office protesting alleged cases of financial impropriety at the county government. 

The protestors, majorly youth riding on boda bodas, want the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), to arrest and prosecute senior county officials implicated in corruption.

The youth, who were shouting anti-county government slogans, carried placards displaying messages of displeasure on how the county government of Siaya was running its affairs.

The governor's security detail was, however, able to deter the protesters from entering into his office and forcefully ejecting him.

Protestors outside the Siaya County Governor’s office on Tuesday, August 31, 2021.
Protestors outside the Siaya County Governor’s office on Tuesday, August 31, 2021.
KBC

According to reports, the bodyguards roughed up the men who were in the building, with some sustaining minor injuries. The protesters, however, said they would not back down until the county administration shows proper and transparent accountability in its financial management.

They accused elected leaders tasked with oversighting the county government of not doing their jobs. The protestors also blamed the government and anti-corruption agencies for turning a blind eye even as millions of tax payers money was being misused.

The protestors want a lifestyle audit of the governor, his family, and senior county government officials in order to identify their sources of wealth.

Addressing the media outside the county headquarters, the protesters group leader said they will not be silenced and their pursuit for accountability by the county government will succeed.

“As we are speaking, millions of shillings meant for the bursary is gone and there is no medicine in our hospitals,” the group leader, only identified as Ojiro, stated.

The County Government of Siaya has been in the news over corruption allegations time and again.

Barely a week ago a Siaya Member of County Assembly confessed to receiving a bribe from the county executive to vote in favour of the County's Appropriation Bill for the 2020/2021 Financial Year. 

Speaking to Radio Ramogi on Wednesday, August 25, the West Asembo MCA, Ambrose Akuno, confessed to receiving a Ksh150,000 bribe from the executive.

He said the bribe, received from the Governor’s office, was to motivate him to vote against an inquiry into an alleged Ksh600 million graft in the county.

A signpost indicating Siaya County Assembly
A signpost indicating Siaya County Assembly.
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