• Kiambu's Ferdinand Waititu becomes latest victim after his arrest on Thursday.
• EACC detectives have also been probing Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama over possible abuse of office and Taita Taveta’s Granton Samboja for forgery of academic papers.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Governors are gasping in shock following a relentless anti-graft crackdown by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission with Kiambu county chief Ferdinand Waititu being the latest culprit.
Just this week alone, two other governors – Tharaka Nithi’s Muthomi Njuki and Kitui’s Charity Ngilu – were grilled at Integrity Centre as EACC moves to shed off its old tag as a toothless dog.
EACC detectives have also been probing Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama over possible abuse of office and Taita Taveta’s Granton Samboja for forgery of academic papers.
The Star has established that four other governors are on the radar of detectives and will soon be questioned over multi-million tender irregularities and abuse of office.
Yesterday, EACC chief executive Twalib Mbarak said Waitutu was under probe over Sh588 million irregular awards of tenders to companies allegedly associated with the governor and his immediate family.
“Preliminary investigations show that contractors paid monies to senior county officials, their companies or relatives through proxies,” Mbarak said in a statement to newsrooms.
Sources at EACC said the governor’s daughter Monica Njeri who works as a paediatrician at Kenyatta National Hospital was a person of interest because suspicious cash was wired through her accounts.
The allegations against Waititu mirror similar investigations against Migori Governor Okoth Obado.
WAITITU'S DAUGHTER QUERIED
Sources at EACC said the governor’s daughter Monica Njeri who works as a paediatrician at Kenyatta National Hospital was a person of interest because suspicious cash was wired through her accounts.
The allegations against Waititu mirror similar investigations against Migori Governor Okoth Obado.
EACC has frozen assets of Obado’s associates and want them compelled to refund Sh2 billion allegedly looted from the Migori county coffers.
The anti-graft agency has also frozen the assets of Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal over what it described as fictitious contracts that led to the loss of over Sh1.6 billion
Yesterday, detectives carried a simultaneous dawn raid on Waititu’s homes, those of his close relatives, 10 senior county employees and directors of private firms that were awarded the controversial contracts.
“During the searches, valuable evidence relevant to the investigations was recovered,” Mbarak said.
On Tuesday, EACC separately grilled Njuki and Ngilu over various corruption allegations.
Njuki was questioned on the procurement of an incinerator said to have been bought at Sh4 million and sold to the county at Sh34 million.
The incinerator was delivered to its site in Chuka town by Generation Electronic and Allied Limited. EACC is pursuing leads that the company could be linked to the governor and his wife.
EACC sleuths questioned Ngilu over alleged irregular hiring of a county executive member who is said to be lacking requisite academic credentials.
Irregular hiring has already sunk Migori county secretary Christopher Rusana.
He was arrested by EACC and charged for abuse of office through irregular employment, work meant for the public service board.
On December 16, the EACC recommended that Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama be charged with abuse of office.
But Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji returned the file and asked detectives to tie up the loose ends.
In its recommendations, EACC had said Nyagarama should be charged for irregularly hiring of three chief officers.
In a report seen by the Star, the EACC says Nyagarama unilaterally appointed the three in disregard of the county public service board.
“Their names were forwarded to the county assembly for approval. They were later appointed and served as chief officers through appointment letters signed by the governor,” the report states.
They are in ICT, Education as well as Transport, Roads and Public Works departments.
The Eliud Wabukala-led commission on December 11 recommended the prosecution of Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja for forgery of academic papers.
“Investigations established that there were discrepancies in the documents attached to the self-declaration form submitted to the commission and the records at Kenyatta University,” EACC says in its report to Parliament.
“It was established that the said aspirant engaged in acts of forgery, uttered false documents and contravened provisions of the Leadership and Integrity Act.”
Haji recommended further investigations against Samboja.
Early this month, EACC arrested former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and eleven others over Sh68 million alleged fraud.
Lenolkulal was early last month arrested over alleged Sh84 million fraud in his county.
edited by Peter Obuya