- The report recommends that Mulunji steps aside and further investigations be conducted by the DCI and EACC.
- Anjeche admitted to the committee that he forged documents to surrender the imprest.
Image: HILTON OTENYO
Kakamega MCAs have adopted a report recommending the removal of top county health officials over alleged misappropriation of Sh6.6 million.
MCAs on Tuesday unanimously adopted a report by the assembly's Health Services committee that has been probing the loss of funds.
It recommended that Public Health chief officer Everlyne Mulunji, Community Health Services coordinator Chris Lumiti and his deputy Stephen Anjeche be disciplined and surcharged.
The money was meant to strengthen the county community health strategy.
Efforts to reach the three officers were unsuccessful as they neither answered calls nor responded to text messages sent to their mobile phones since Sunday.
The report recommends that Mulunji steps aside pending further investigation by the DCI and EACC. and further investigations conducted by the DCI and EACC. The report was tabled on Friday by committee chairman Lukas Radoli and seconded by Manda-Shivanga ward MCA Jacob Luvisia.
The reports saidAnjeche signed an imprest of Sh5,694,000 to train Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) across12 subcounties but training never took place.
Anjeche produced a list of 'participants' in the activities, indicating the amount each CHV received and his or her mobile numbers.
However, when called at random, the holders of the phones were found not to be CHVs. They denied attending training or receiving cash.
Anjeche admitted to the committee that he forged documents to surrender the imprest.
He said he and his boss Lumiti gave the county Health executive Rachael Okumu Sh1.3 millionto protect them on the imprest surrender.
The report also accuses Lumiti and Mulunji of irregularly opening an M-Pesa account to pay the CHVs and irregularly withdrawing Sh915, 000 from the Imarisha Afya ya Mama na Mtoto to support community health dialogue. He could not account for it.
Mulunji is accused of insubordination, failing to supervise the community health services and misinforming the committee on the use of the funds.
Mjulunji had told the committee that she personally supervised the activities but did not disclose the venues.
It was found that some photographs she presented as proof of the activities were taken at earlier functions.
Mulunji is accused of ignoring the chain of command and taking orders from the CEC and instead consulting Governor Wycliffe Oparanya Deputy GovernorPhilip Kutima.
The committee headed by Lukas Radoli has recommended an external audit of activities in the Public Health department the expenditure of the funds be carried out.
It said CHVs should be required to open bank accounts to receive their monthly stipends instead of M-Pesa.
(Edited by V. Graham)