EACC sleuths grilling Natembeya over alleged Sh1.4 billion scam
Spokesman says the alleged misconduct was committed in the current financial year, dating back to the 2022/23 financial year
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya is currently being grilled at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) headquarters, Integrity Centre in Nairobi over ongoing investigations by the anti-corruption Commission on procurement irregularities, abuse of office, bribery, and fraudulent acquisition of public funds worth Ksh 1.4 billion at the County.
Confirming the grilling, EACC Secretary/Chief Executive Officer Abdi A. Mohamud said the allegations stem from three major county projects, including the first phase of the rehabilitation and modernisation of the Kenyatta Stadium (Phase 1A), the construction of the County Headquarters and the Tom Mboya Hospital.
Mohamud revealed that the alleged misconduct was committed in the current financial year, dating back to the 2022/23 financial year.
“EACC is investigating allegations of procurement irregularities, abuse of office, bribery, and fraudulent acquisition of public funds totaling Sh1.4 billion at the County Government of Trans Nzoia. The investigations relate to three major county projects, which include the rehabilitation and Modernization of Kenyatta Stadium (Phase 1A), the Construction of the Trans Nzoia County Headquarters Offices and Tom Mboya Hospital,” he said.
Mohamud said contracts were awarded to Parbat Siyan Construction Limited, C.M. Construction Company Limited and Session Blue Contractors Limited respectively.
He added that the early morning raid at the residence of the governor in Milimani, Kitale resulted in the recovery of critical evidential material to support ongoing investigations.
Natembeya is alleged to have influenced the award of tenders and received kickbacks from contractors through proxies.
The EACC Secretary also said the Trans Nzoia Chief officer (Finance) Emmanuel Manungo, Chief Officer (Water) Dorothy Nyukuri, Director (Procurement) Eliyah Liambula and Desmond Shivachi, who was described as contractor/proxy of the governor, are persons of interest.
In addition, EACC said it is investigating allegations of money laundering and accumulation of unexplained wealth by senior county officials, which it said is suspected to be part of a broader scheme to conceal the proceeds of crime.
Natembeya’s grilling comes after sleuths from the EACC and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) earlier today raided the governor’s home in Kitale in search of evidence on the above allegations.
The detectives were accompanied by plain clothes officers and anti-riot police as rowdy youths made their way to the well-guarded house to prevent the officers from doing the raid.
The DAP-Kenya Party Leader, Eugene Wamalwa, together with a section of the Trans Nzoia Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) made the way to the home as they confirmed the governor was in Nairobi and not home.
The youths damaged and deflated the tyres of the vehicles carrying the officers who raided the home.
Mohamud condemned the violence directed at the EACC officers while lawfully executing their mandate, adding that the obstruction is an offence punishable by law.
On Sunday, Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka had alleged the arrest was political.
“Governor Natembeya is threatened as we speak, and on Monday, which is tomorrow, they have obtained a search warrant to go and search his house. They just want to apprehend him and release him so that they may embarrass him before the people of trans Nzoia,” he said in Machakos.
