• Anti-graft agency met county officials to educate them on preventing corruption
• The training was done with a view to creating awareness and capacity building
Image: FILE
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating cases of certificate forgery among officers in the county government of Meru.
Last year, Meru county secretary Dr Kiambi Atheru had complained of some county staff who were employed by previous regimes without genuine certificates.
He said that more investigations were being conducted to weed out such officers, while some were sent on compulsory leave.
Speaking during a training in Meru town yesterday, he welcomed cooperation with the anti-graft agency.
"EACC has not been writing to us on any irregularities, but we always seek an advisory from them on the fight against corruption," Atheru said.
He said the training would help Governor Kawira Mwangaza's administration to actualise the County Integrated Development Plan and her manifesto without hitches
Upper Eastern regional manager George Mugare said they also received complaints concerning procurement.
"In Meru, like most counties, there are a good number of cases. Procurement cases and land issues, where government land has been procured un-procedurally, are pending," he said.
"EACC deals with complaints as they come. There are several complaints regarding forged certificates and grabbing of government land."
The workshop was attended by county executives, chief officers, directors and CEOs.
Mugare said they are teaching senior county officers about preventing corruption because prevention is better than cure.
"Governor Mwangaza's administration is transparent and open in the implementation of corruption-free utilisation of funds."
EACC Education officer Dr Emily Mworia said they have been in Meru since Monday to educate and create public awareness on preventing corruption.
"We are trained on pro-action and what to do to prevent corruption," she said.
"We have already done this to members of the public, technical institution officers and now the county government."
Mworia said six other counties have been trained on good governance.
"I commend Meru county because the IDP and Manifesto is aligned with the EACC agenda, especially on etiquette, public participation and accountability," she said.
She said the training would be cascaded to other departments.
"We all have responsibilities to eradicate and deter corruption before it happens. This the reason we are creating awareness and capacity building," Mworia said.