Anti-graft body probes Kirinyaga County staff

The Ethics and anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has now stepped in to investigate corruption allegations in Kirinyaga County government.

Yesterday, Central EACC manager Charles Rasugu said as part of the investigations, officials from the county government have been appearing before the commission at the Nyeri offices.

Although Rasugu declined to give more details of the process, it was established that the first lot of 38 officials have already been interviewed and some recorded statements over irregularities in tendering.

"We can't reveal details on the findings but the probing is going on," Rasugu said.

In an earlier interview, Rasugu said the commission started the exercise with two graft items among them ten 10 questionable tender awards.

EACC summoned the 38 officials for questioning starting from May 28 to June 17 over Sh50 million tender for installation of a software to manage hospitals.

An advisor to governor Ann Waiguru whose name came up several times during the Senate hearing proceedings on impeachment motion of the governor is among the officials who were summoned for questioning.

Other staff summoned include procurement and chief officers. The second lot of 25 officials were summoned from June 15 over the alleged payment of Sh10.6 million imprest to Waiguru for foreign trips.

Although Waiguru was acquitted by the Senate select committee, the MCAs insist she has a case to answer. 

Among the issues the agency will be looking into is how Velocity Partners Ltd was awarded Sh50 million tender to install the Integrated Hospital Management Information System.