Sh40 billion theft at Interior, Treasury, Education under probe

Alleged theft of at least Sh40 billion at the Treasury, Interior, Agriculture and Education ministries are some of the high-profile corruption cases being probed by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

The billions were reportedly siphoned through dubious contracts and purchases orchestrated by senior State officers between July 2017 and June 2018.

According to an EACC report tabled in Parliament by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, 1,510 corruption cases are currently under investigation in the fresh wave of war against the graft.

The money stolen in the ministries, parastatals and county governments could be close to Sh100 billion since only 40 out of the 1,510 cases involve Sh41.4 billion.

Buoyed by President Uhuru Kenyatta's declaration of an all-out war against corrupt government officials, following his truce with Opposition Chief Raila Odinga, EACC has vowed that heads must roll.

In the Ministry of Education, the agency is investigating theft of Sh10 billion Free Primary Education funds in the procurement of textbooks for public schools across the country.

State officials embezzled another Sh5.6 billion in the running of the e-Citizen, the Government's official digital payments platform.

The agency says it is investigating claims of possible collusion by State officers at the National Treasury to embezzle public funds running into billions “in respect of the e-Citizen.”

At the National Cereals and Produce Board, Sh11.3 billion was embezzled in an alleged irregular purchase of maize at Kitale depot, Moi’s Bridge, Bungoma and Eldoret silos, according to the report.

Officers at the Interior ministry are being investigated for the loss of Sh2.4 billion in an alleged fraud and irregular compensation of houses.