Anxiety grips Turkana County as EACC probes Sh600m graft scandal

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission(EACC) Head Office in Nairobi on March 25, 2025. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Panic has gripped the executive arm of the Turkana County Government as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) investigates allegations of embezzlement involving more than Sh600 million over the past two financial years.

In a dramatic operation carried out in Lodwar on Thursday, EACC officers recovered Sh6.5 million in cash hidden inside a vehicle belonging to a County Executive Committee Member (CECM).

According to the EACC, the alleged embezzlement was perpetrated through conflict of interest and abuse of office by senior officials of the marginalised county.

During the operation, the homes and offices of ten senior officials-including CECMs, chief officers, and other high-ranking staff-were searched.

"The operation has yielded valuable evidentiary material to support the ongoing investigations, including Sh6.5 million in cash recovered from a motor vehicle. The money is suspected to be proceeds of corruption," EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud said in a statement.

The commission revealed that the alleged theft of public funds occurred between 2022 and 2024. On 3 March 2025, the agency froze Sh180 million held in bank accounts registered to a county security warden. The money is also suspected to be linked to corruption.

"Allegations of embezzlement of public funds, conflict of interest, and abuse of office have been levelled against several Turkana County officials. It is alleged they conducted business with the county through various companies, receiving over Sh600 million for purported procurement of goods and services in the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 financial years," said Mohamud.

He added: "We are building watertight cases. Once investigations are complete, those found culpable will face prosecution. We will also pursue the recovery of stolen assets."

The suspects were questioned in Lodwar as investigators combed through financial records, procurement documents, and communication logs in a bid to unravel the scale of the alleged fraud.

The probe comes at a time when residents of Turkana continue to grapple with food insecurity, poor infrastructure, and underdevelopment.

"We've waited for roads, water, even schools-yet billions disappear into the pockets of a few," lamented local activist John Ekai.

EACC said the Turkana investigation is part of a broader national crackdown on corruption in devolved units. Several other counties are currently under similar scrutiny as the commission seeks to stem the tide of misappropriated public funds.

The agency also confirmed that some suspects evaded Thursday's search, but efforts are underway to trace and apprehend them.