By Hope Barbra
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has launched investigations into fictitious imprests at the County Government of Siaya.
Similarly, EACC is also investigating alleged conflict of interest cases where senior government officials are doing business with the county.
Regional Director Abraham Kemboi said the commission was looking into allegations of loss of hundreds of millions by way of fictitious imprests.
“A lot of interventions have been put in place by the Government of Kenya. In the Siaya County Government, we are looking into allegations of loss of hundreds of millions by way of fictitious imprests. They were allegedly stolen by senior officials of the county,” he said.
He said the investigation was targeting the Department of Finance over the fake and fictitious imprests.
“Those who are entrusted to protect those resources, in particular officials within the Finance Department, will be held accountable. We will act and charge those engaged in corruption,” he said.
Kemboi said the alleged conflict of interest was rampant, with the majority of senior officials conflicted and doing business with the government.
“Majority of the senior government officers at the county do business with the county government. They register companies and also use proxies to supply goods and services to the same county government that employs them. This is conflict of interest,” he said.
In 2023, Siaya Deputy Governor Dr. William Oduol made allegations of corruption in the government and presented evidence to EACC.
“I am a thoroughbred professional, an accountant of repute, and the evidence I presented is cogent; it is not hot air. Now that I have managed to exhaust the internal mechanisms, I handed over the evidence to EACC, and I am certain that I am going to be vindicated very soon.
I am not a visitor in Jerusalem, and I want to look the MCAs in the eye when we eventually have people arrested by EACC or DCI. How are they going to walk in the streets of Siaya County?” he said.
Oduol was impeached by the County Assembly of Siaya but was saved by the Senate.
