Fifteen senior employees of the Uasin Gishu Health department have been suspended over corruption allegations.
County secretary Edwin Bett on Tuesday wrote to the employees, suspending them from work to pave the way for investigations after claims they attempted to defraud the county government of Sh22.8 million meant for staff workshops.
Once Governor Jackson Mandago was informed, he directed that action be taken against those involved. He also asked for a full report within a week.
Acting Health executive Samuel Yego on Friday confirmed that some employees had been suspended over allegations of corruption and misconduct. Those interdicted include sectional heads in the department.
“The matter is being handled by the executive. We cannot say much at the moment but it’s under investigation and action will be taken against those found guilty. Those innocent will be reinstated,” Yego said.
“The county secretary will give more details later,” Yego said.
Yego is holding brief for Health executive Everlyne Rotich, who said she was on leave.
“I'm not aware of those issues. I'm on leave. Talk to my colleague Yego who is acting in the docket. I will be back in the next two weeks," she said.
Earlier in the week, Rotich was summoned by Mandago over the matter.
On Friday, efforts to get a comment from Bett was unsuccessful. He did not pick calls or respond to text messages.
The workshop for more than 1,000 staff members in the Health Department was to take place at Chebororwa Framers Training College but did not as part of the money was suspiciously wired into bank accounts of some employees.
Bett suspended the senior staff and directed that the matter be internally investigated to establish those involved and how the alleged theft was planned.
Reports indicate that some employees had sent the money back to the county government after the scam was detected. This followed complaints by Chebororwa management over the organisation of the failed event.
“We made purchases in readiness for the workshop as requested by the county government, but no one turned up,” said an employee at the college, which is owned by the county government.
Last month, Rotich was grilled by the Uasin Gishu county assembly and declared unfit to hold public office over claims of mismanagement. Despite the MCAs expressing their anger, none of them filed an impeachment motion against her.
Assembly Health Committee chairman Hosea Some could not be reached on the phone to comment on the matter. He was also not at his assembly office. Sources, however, said the committee had been informed of the allegations.
