Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo has revealed that he sacked two county ministers over alleged corruption and suspended a third over failure to account for bursary funds.
The sacked ministers, Ms Marita Agufuna (Sports) and Mr Alfred Indeche (Finance), were impeached by the county assembly on Monday for transferring Sh18.8 million to a private account.
The duo allegedly transferred the public funds at the end of the 2017/18 Financial Year to hide it from the National Treasury.
Deputy Governor Patrick Saisi told journalists at the county headquarters in Mbale that his boss had fired the two ministers as a commitment his administration was ready to facilitate investigations into the alleged corruption.
Ms Felistus Okumu, the Education boss, has been sent on three-month compulsory leave after her department failed to account for Sh3 million allocated for bursaries.
Corruption cases have been rampant in kenyan counties. But Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Hadji has been trying to crack a whip on county bosses who misuse public funds.
Former Nyandarua Governor Daniel Waithaka and two others were on Friday morning arraigned in a Nyahururu court over alleged Sh50 million graft case.
Mr Waithaka, former Water minister Grace Gitonga and Mr Kihiu Gaiko, the sitting Water chief officer appeared before resident magistrate James Wanyanga but did not take plea since the court referred to Nakuru, citing lack of jurisdiction.
The trio presented themselves to Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officers in Nyeri on Thursday after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji issued arrest warrant against them over Sh50m project.
Mr Haji accused the trio of flouting procurement laws by commission a project without proper planning. The DPP said the public lost Sh50m after the tender was given to an Israeli firm, Tahal Limited, in 2014 for a sewerage system for Ol Kalou town.
Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong was also arrested early this month over Sh20m fraud allegations. He was arrested by EACC officials and taken to Integrity Centre, the anti-graft agency said via twitter on
It is not clear where he was arrested from but he was arraingend in court alongside nine other officials. However, the governor refuted claims that he was arrested saying that he presented himself to the EACC.
“Contrary to some sections of the media, I was not arrested, I handed myself to EACC. As a law abiding citizen I will cooperate with EACC in the investigations…” he said.
Ojaamong said he will be vindicated adding that he will not be cowed or be distracted from his constitutional mandate.”Constitutional offices should not be used to settle political scores,” he said.
The EACC said the Governor single-sourced a company called Madam R Ltd and gave it a tender for the service. Investigations began in 2016.
Ojaamong is also facing the charge of conspiracy to steal more than Sh20 million from the county coffers.
But the governor said the County waste management deal was above board.Ojaamong further noted that there was value for money and that the county spent only Sh8 million on waste management in the year in question.