Eight top officials at the Nakuru County Government are under investigations over claims of fraud in the payment of legal services rendered there.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission summoned the eight for grilling and statement taking as part of the probe into the allegations.
South Rift EACC regional manager Kipsang Sambai said they will forward their file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions with various recommendations for action.
He said in a letter the Commission is carrying out investigations into allegations touching on the use of public funds for legal services by officials of the County Government of Nakuru.
“Kindly ensure the officers carry their appointment letters and any other relevant documents. Your anticipated cooperation in the fight against corruption, economic crime and unethical conduct is appreciated,” he said in the letter dated September 2, 2025 addressed to the County Secretary.
Those wanted for grilling on September 8, 2025 at the Nakuru regional offices include Caleb Nyamwange (County Attorney), Charles Koech (Chief Officer Public Service), Gladys Kamuren (Chief Officer Gender and Youth), Joseph Malinda (Chief Officer Finance) and Anniemarie Kuria (Director supply chain management).
Others are Ashna Wanga (Head of budget and planning), Martin Agai (Chief Officer, Office of the Governor) and Everline Kakai (Chief officer Finance) who will appear on September 10.
The issue of payment of legal services has been found to be the main source of graft in counties and the national government.
EACC and other agencies have been investigating the fraud involved and running into billions of shillings.
Nakuru is now at the center of the claims amid ongoing investigations.
Governor Susan Kihika was Thursday September 4, 2025 grilled by the Senate Public Accounts Committee over alleged financial misappropriation and stalled county projects.
These included a Sh1 million toilet that has remained incomplete for three years.
The committee is calling on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate over Sh22 million paid to various law firms without supporting documents.
Kihika was on the spot with the Senate committee putting her to task over alleged misuse of billions of shillings, including stalled projects worth Sh7.8 billion.
The projects had been flagged by the Auditor General, who said that the county failed to provide documentation or progress reports. The county could not explain why several projects, including a stalled market toilet worth Sh1 million, have dragged on for three years.
“What happened to this toilet, just worth Sh1 million that has stalled since 2019?” asked Moses Kajwang’, Senate PAC chair.
“I don’t want to answer in a way that I will mislead the Senate,” responded Governor Kihika.
Other stalled projects include ECD toilets, with the committee questioning how the pupils were surviving under the circumstances.
“What happened to these ECD toilets stalled for years? So, are the pupils using bushes to relieve themselves?” posed Taita Taveta Senator Johnes Mwaruma.
“We will do a report with more details, but I wanted to build ECD toilets because they were shared with older pupils,” Kihika explained.
The Governor also struggled to explain why the county bypassed its attorney and hired private law firms without approval.
“They have a county attorney, but they went ahead illegally to hire private law firms. They are yet to provide us with documents,” noted the auditor.
Kihika failed to justify payments of over Sh22 million to private lawyers without proof of service.
“Where is the attorney to answer this? I don’t understand why he isn’t here,” Kihika said.
The Senate committee is now calling on EACC to step in and investigate how the payments were made to private legal firms without documentation, and to ensure those behind the irregularities are held accountable.
The Governor said she is ready to respond to all matters raised.
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