Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati has denied claims that his administration misused County funds meant to address the deadly Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
While addressing the press at the County’s head office, the Governor termed the reports false adding that his political rivals were tainting his name to settle old scores.
Further, he stated that the claims were maliciously aimed to undermine his governance and taint the image of his administration.
“Some politicians want to use the COVID-19 issue to settle political scores and fan enmity. We, as a county, distributed 368 containers and they were all donated by well-wishers. This is the time for leaders in Bungoma to come together and educate residents on this disease,” he said.
Further, the Governor stated that anyone with evidence supporting the embezzlement claims should forward to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for probing.
“If anybody has any evidence to the contrary or to the effect that any officer in my government paid Sh10,000 for a jerrycan, please bring it forward or take it to the EACC, the county assembly and other relevant authorities,” he said.
Yesterday, April 10, 2020, Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula among other county leaders called upon the EACC to probe alleged embezzlement of funds at the county.
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This was following a reveal by Kahawa Tungu which had unmasked the alleged embezzlement of funds where 600 20 litre jerrycans were said to have been purchased at Sh10,000 each and distributed across the county.
Earlier, this desk had ideally revealed how Bungoma County refused to buy personal protective equipment (PPEs) for its COVID-19 response team worth Sh123,000, but instead went ahead to borrow Ksh6.9 million for an awareness campaign.
At the centre of the saga was Caro Buyela, the Governor’s special projects advisor.
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Apparently, close to Ksh5 million was used in the purchase of four 120-litre Water tanks in each of the 88 selected market centres countywide, totalling to 352 pieces. Also, a total of 100 buckets, 500 pieces of A5 size brochures, soap and sanitizers were bought.
A tank, according to a source from the supplier, cost Sh1,000 each meaning that at most Sh352,000 was used to buy the tanks, while the liquid soap was estimated to have cost at most Sh135,000 cumulatively.
This desk also revealed that each ward got 3-4 (120-litre) water tanks, some got water buckets while very few got bar soaps. A 20-litre liquid soap was shared between 2-4 market centres depending on the liking of the office of the governor’s advisors on special programmes.
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