Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula wants the anti-graft agency to immediately arrest Governor Kenneth Lusaka over the purchase of nine overpriced wheelbarrows.
He said on Saturday Lusaka is the county boss mandated to ensure funds are not stolen, but failed on his job.
Wetang’ula urged EACC chairman Eliud Wabukala to firmly deal with runaway corruption in the county, before going for the Eurobond and SGR scandals. He spoke in the Posta grounds, Bungoma, during an ODM voter registration drive. Opposition chief leader Raila Odinga attended.
Four Bungoma county employees on Friday were charged with corruption over the purchase of 10 wheelbarrows in 2014. The charge sheet cites they unlawfully and irregularly authorised payment of Sh983,880 to Jagla Enterprises for nine wheelbarrows at Sh109,320 each.
Lusaka rejected Wetang’ula’s claims and said he was the whistle-blower on the scam.
“I condemn Wetang’ula’s utterances. I’m the one who asked for an audit after finding a problem in the procurement,’’ he said.
Wetang’ula said Lusaka should be held responsible for failing to protect taxpayers’ money by allowing looting and defending corrupt officials.
“I want to tell Wabukala that here in Bungoma, arresting junior officers without arresting Lusaka is a useless job,” Wetang’ula said. “If an inspector sends a constable to harm people, do you jail the constable or the inspector? The Bungoma inspector is none other than Lusaka. We know this is the main reason he dissolved New Ford Kenya and ran to hide in Jubilee with his fellow thieves, seeking protection.”
He warned Lusaka he can run and hide but will not escape the long arm of the law.