Six Nakuru county officials, EACC and the controversial Sh 22 million legal fees
The office of the governor in Nakuru city.
Six senior Nakuru county officials have been summoned to appear before the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, to record statements over irregular payment of Sh 22 million to private law firms.
The commission in its letter to the County secretary dated September 2 wants the officers to appear before it for questioning on diverse dates between September 8 and September 10.
The officers summoned include Chief officers for Finance Evelyne Kakai, Public service Charles Koech, gender and youth Gladys Kamuren, office of the governor Martin Agai as well as the former Chief officer Finance department Joseph Malinda.
Others include the county attorney Caleb Nyamwange, director Supply Chain management Annemarie Kuria and head of Budget Ashina wanga.
“The commission is carrying out investigations relating to the usage of public funds by the county for legal services by officials of the county government of Nakuru,” read part of the letter signed by the commission's South Rift Coordinator Kipsang’ Sambai.
EACC Head of Corporate affairs confirmed that the letter was sent by the commission to have the officers record statements to facilitate the ongoing investigations into the purported loss of Sh 22 million to un contracted law firms.
“It is true we issued the summons for the officers to clarify some issues in regards to the irregular use of the public funds towards payment of private lawyers,” said Mr Karuga.
In September the Public Accounts Committee of the parliament issued a directive to the EACC to investigate governor Susan Kihika and her government over the irregular hiring of private law firms, as well as the stalled projects in the county.
Governor Kihika had appeared before it to answer audit queries that had been raised by the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu in her 2024/25 financial report.
Ms Gathungu in her report pointed out that the county had made payment to law firms that had no contracts or supporting documents.
The action by the EACC further comes five months after Mtaa Wangu highlighted the issue of Nakuru county failing to prove the usage of Sh 22 million on private legal services.
The Auditor General, Mtaa Wangu had established, said that there was no documentation to show how the law firms were identified, certificates of appointment, fee notes and monthly performance reports from each law firm in respect to each case that were provided for audit.
Ms Gathungu had further questioned the need for the county government to hire private lawyers yet it has a substantive county attorney