Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is investigating 20 governors and 227 MCAs over corruption related incidences.
the cases involving looting of county funds, abuse of office and conflict of interest.
Speaking on Tuesday during the fourth Legislative Summit in Kisumu, EACC Director of Preventive Services Vincent Okong’o said the culprits would be charged soon after investigations are complete.
Okong’o said the list is dominated by serving governors and MCAs. A few former county chiefs and ward legislators are also being probed.
“Of the 227 cases involving the MCAs – some who have left office – we unearthed unethical behavior like a conflict of interest, abuse of office and falsification of documents. Some are doing business with the county governments,” Okong’o said.
The governors under probe include Samburu’s Moses Lenolkulal, Okoth Obado (Migori) and Busia’s Sospeter Ojaamong. Lenolkulal is facing prosecution over an Sh2 billion suspected fraud.
Some of the sitting and former governors who have already recorded statements with the Eliud Wabukala-led commission include Alfred Mutua (Machakos), Martin Wambora (Embu), Okoth Obado (Migori), Cyprian Awiti (Homa Bay), Mwangi wa Iria (Murang’a), Evans Kidero (Nairobi), Samuel Ragwa (Tharaka-Nithi), Godana Doyo (Isiolo) and Nathif Jama (Garissa).
The anti-corruption body has already sent files of the suspects to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji for review, and should he give the nod, the suspects could be arrested and presented to court as early next week.
According to EACC, they have recovered illegally acquired assets worth Sh7.7 billion and traced a further Sh4.9 billion.
An investigating officer states that majority of the county chiefs are being pursued flouting procurement laws, in some cases brazenly awarding tenders to companies that were not prequalified and whose directors were related to the governors.
“There is a case where a county government paid a contractor upfront yet in the end, the actual work was never done. It was an outright rip-off,” he said.
A number of counties have been faulted over the manner they bought ambulances whose subsequent customization gave room for price manipulations, the officer said.
EACC is also investigating cases of outright nepotism in the management of county government affairs.