EACC arrests seven senior county officials over alleged Sh 120 million procurement fraud

Seven current and former senior officials of the Nakuru County Government and a contractor have been arrested by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over alleged conflict of interest and procurement irregularities involving county contracts worth more than Sh 120 million.

Those arrested include Nakuru County’s Chief Officer (CO) for Medical Services Daniel Wainaina, the Nakuru City Manager Peter Gitau Thabanja, CO for Roads and Infrastructure Kennedy Mungai Barasa, alongside Solomon Sirma, former Nakuru CO for Health and current CECM for Finance in Baringo County, Timothy Kiogora Murithi, former CO for Water, Lorna Karamuta Mubichi, an Economist II at the county, and Kenneth Muriithi Ndubi.

EACC South Rift Regional Kipsang Sambayi says the arrests follow investigations into 29 contracts valued at Sh 120,042,417 awarded by the County Government of Nakuru between the 2020/2021 and 2024/2025 financial years.

Sambayi alleges that investigations established that Lorna Karamuta Mubichi used companies owned by her husband to transact business with the county while serving as a public officer.

In the official statement by the EACC CEO, Abdi Mohamud, he says the three companies, Denken Building & Construction Limited, Murinchamba Investments Limited, and Windcom Solutions Limited, were awarded the contracts and subsequently received payments amounting to Sh 120,042,417.

“Investigations established the companies were owned and controlled by Ms Mubichi's husband, Kenneth Ndubi, either solely or jointly with his brother, Brian Mwenda Ndubi,” he notes.

He notes that the companies secured the tenders using false documents, that part of the proceeds from the contracts was transferred to joint bank accounts held by Ms Mubichi and her husband, and further alleges that investigators traced some of the payments to senior county officials.

“The Commission found that Ms. Mubichi's private financial interests in the companies owned by her husband were in direct conflict with her official duties as an employee of the County Government of Nakuru, contrary to the principles of integrity and accountability expected of public officers,” Wekesa says.

He says upon completion of investigations, the case file was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which approved the prosecution of nine suspects on various charges, including conflict of interest, money laundering, acquisition of proceeds of crime, engaging in fraudulent procurement practices and willful failure to comply with procurement laws.

Wekesa says the suspects are expected to be arraigned before Court on Friday, July 31.

He adds that Brian Mwenda Ndubi, a director of Windcom Solutions Limited, and Josphat Kimemia, the Chief Officer for Youth Affairs and Sports, are yet to be arrested after allegedly going into hiding.

“We are calling upon Brian Mwenda Ndubi and Josphat Kimemia to immediately report to the EACC South Rift Regional Office in Nakuru or the nearest EACC office,” Wekesa says.