The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has revealed the reason behind the raid on Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya’s Kitale residence and office on Monday morning.
According to EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud, the operation was part of ongoing investigations into alleged misuse of Sh1.4 billion by the county government.
Mohamud confirmed that the search at Natembeya’s home and office was conducted with a court-issued search warrant.
The probe focuses on alleged irregular procurement, fictitious payments, bribery, and abuse of office involving senior county officials.
EACC said the investigations relate to three key county projects: the rehabilitation and modernisation of Kenyatta Stadium awarded to Parbat Siyan Construction Limited, the construction of Trans Nzoia County headquarters awarded to C.M Construction Company Limited, and the construction of Tom Mboya Hospital, which was awarded to Session Blue Contractors Limited.
“The Governor is alleged to have influenced the award of tenders and received kickbacks from contractors through proxies,” said Mohamud.
Other individuals under investigation include Chief Officer for Finance Emmanuel Masungo, Chief Officer for Water Dorothy Nyukuri, Director of Procurement Eliyah Liambula, and contractor Desmond Shivachi, who is suspected to be a proxy for the governor.
The commission is also investigating alleged money laundering and the unexplained accumulation of wealth by senior county officials. EACC says this could be part of a broader scheme to hide proceeds of corruption.
During the search, investigators recovered key documents and other materials believed to be crucial in the ongoing probe.
Governor Natembeya was later arrested and taken to the EACC headquarters in Nairobi for questioning. His lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru, confirmed the arrest and said that the legal team had been denied access to the governor, who remained in custody as investigations continued.
EACC maintained that the arrest is directly linked to the alleged fraudulent acquisition of Sh1.4 billion between the 2022/2023 and 2024/2025 financial years.
The raid and arrest sparked reactions from political leaders, with DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa accusing the government of targeting opposition leaders. “We will not allow harassment of the opposition and the weaponizing of our justice system,” Wamalwa said.
He claimed other opposition figures, including Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua and Mumias East MP Peter Salasya, were also being subjected to similar treatment.
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