Devolution, a blessing and a curse that was brought to Kenyans by the new constitution continues to draw mixed reactions among Kenyans. A blessing in the sense that it has helped stimulate development in different parts of the Country and a curse in the sense that it has proved to be a cash minting scheme for the various individuals tasked with running the devolved units.
Through the Counties, taxpayers keep loosing billions of shillings to individuals with many of the lost cash yet to be recovered.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption commission has now tightened it’s belt and has promised to unleash hell on earth to a number of Governors with three of them being considered top targets.
At least three sitting and one former governor are facing arrest over corruption-related charges. This comes as EACC plans to narrow down on corruption suspects in the Counties.
One of the governors is from Nyanza region and is known to be close to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the other one is from the Coast and the third is from Eastern region and has recently been in the news.
All the three have been accused of siphoning cash from their counties through proxies, abuse of office, failing to safeguard public resources, among others.
It has also been revealed that apart from the four, the EACC is also firming up cases against 12 other governors. In some cases investigations are almost complete.
“We are targeting more governors because we know counties are important. Just as we have been hard on state agencies within the national government, we will not allow plunder and pilfering at the counties,” Twalib Mbarak, the new EACC boss, said.
Mbarak, declined to reveal the identities of the three governors facing arrest and possible prosecution, only saying that investigations are underway.
“We have heightened operations and our undercover officers will be striking when they (the governors) least expect it,” Twalib said.
Mbarak and the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji have jointly set up a committee to review all files before consent to prosecute is given.
“We would like to work together so all cases that we will take to court have water-tight evidence and have a reasonable chances of success,” Haji told the Star yesterday.
Yesterday EACC detectives simultaneously raided the homes and of Samburu Governor Moses Kasaine and his entire cabinet, as they looked for documents.
Kasaine, who is serving his second term on a Jubilee ticket, later was taken into custody by EACC detectives and could be arraigned in court this morning.
Detectives raided the governor’s palatial homes in Nairobi and Samburu in connection with irregular use of Sh2 billion.
With Kasaine already in, the EACC’s focus now shifts to the remaining three county chiefs said to have have amassed a lot of wealth by plunder.