Another Nakuru top official under probe by EACC

By Steve Mkawale

Recent revelations that some members of the Nakuru County Executive Committee either uttered forged academic documents to gain employment or are under probe over integrity issues has eroded public confidence in the county government.

As Governor Kinuthia Mbugua ponders his next step following allegations  his cabinet comprises officers who lack integrity, the heat is slowly turning to the County Public Service Board (PSB) and the County Assembly on their capacity to vet job seekers.

The two institutions vested with powers to vet applicants for any positions have remained silent as the governor takes the heat from voters and the civil society over the presence of tainted officers in the county government.

Susan Kihika is the Speaker of the County Assembly while Dr Mutiti Waithenji chairs the PSB.  The two bodies are charged with ensuring the county government hires qualified officials who pass the integrity test as prescribed under Chapter VI of the Constitution.

Fake degree

The CID is investigating Sam Gitau, who has stepped down from his position as County Executive Committee Member in charge of Trade and Tourism, for forging his degree certificate and KCSE and KCPE examination slips, which he used to gain employment.

Mr Gitau produced documents indicating he obtained a mean score of B- in his KCSE and 571 marks in KCPE. However, KNEC results printout indicates he scored D+ and 387 marks respectively.

Gitau’s appointment was sanctioned by the board, ratified by a committee of the assembly chaired by Kihika and later confirmed by Mbugua. Questions linger on how he escaped scrutiny at the board and the county assembly committee that vetted shortlisted county executive committee nominees.

The Standard on Sunday, with the help of an NGO, carried out an investigation that culminated in an expose on Gitau that has since opened a can of worms – with claims more officers might be holding bogus academic credentials.

The Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) is now probing Rachael Maina, another member of the Nakuru County executive in charge of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning.

Ms Maina is under probe over claims of abuse of office during her tenure as the Nyandarua District Settlement Officer. She is accused of using her position to irregularly sub-divide and allocate some 96 acres of government land earmarked for construction of a village polytechnic to a “private developer”.

According to documents seen by The Standard on Sunday, Maina allocated a chunk of the land to the her minor daughter (read private developer), contrary to the settlement trustee fund regulations.

A member of the county assembly committee that vetted her says allegations of  abuse of office against her when she served in the Ministry of Lands were brought up during her vetting but were swept under the carpet.

Gitau’s integrity was also questioned during the assembly vetting after it received a petition from a member of the  public who claimed he had swindled him off Sh40,000 in a land deal.

Campaign rewards

“That too was overlooked when Gitau said he had sorted out the issue with the complainant and that it was a misunderstanding between him and the other parties involved in the deal,” said another member of the vetting committee.

But how did the two go through the vetting un-noticed? How could they be appointed into crucial offices without background checks on their past?

Kihika has distanced her committee from blame saying members relied on information presented to them and were not obliged to pierce the veil unless their were compelling reasons.

“The assembly relies on the County Government Act section 35 (1) (2). It is upon the appointing authority, that is the governor, to ensure compliance with section 35 (3) of the County government Act,” Kihika said in her defence.

Waithanje blames the then interim PSB, saying it may not have conducted due diligence. It is also possible that some members of the interim board may have cashed in on the confusion to appoint unqualified individuals.

But amid the revelation of serious integrity issues, a critical question remains unanswered: Did the applicants have clearance certificates from the various oversight institutions?

 It is a legal requirement for applicants of top public jobs to attach a Certificate of Good Conduct issued by the CID, clearance certificates from EACC, KRA, HELB and Credit Reference Bureau to be considered for employment.

The above raises questions whether the clearances were properly issued or bought?  The mess at the Nakuru County Government also raises questions on whether there was a deliberate and well orchestrated scheme to place some people in strategic positions as part of a plan to rip the county.