EACC Arrests Two More Nyamira County Assembly Officials Over Sh367mn Tender

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 2 — The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested two more Nyamira County Assembly officials over alleged irregularities in the award of a Sh367 million tender for the construction of an office block.

The Commission said the alleged procurement irregularities resulted in the loss of Sh30,187,396 in public funds.

Those arrested are David Nyarango Ombego, Deputy Clerk and Director of Legislative, Legal Procedure and Committee Services, and Joyce Onyiego, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation.

The EACC said the two were arrested in a coordinated operation conducted by its investigators within Kisii County.

They are being processed at the Commission’s South Nyanza Regional Office in Kisii pending arraignment. The EACC lists South Nyanza as its regional office serving Kisii, Nyamira, Homa Bay and Migori counties.

The two officials are expected to face charges including abuse of office, wilful failure to comply with the law relating to management of public funds and negligence of official duty, according to the Commission.

Their arrest brings to five the number of Nyamira County Assembly officials arrested in connection with the tender investigation.

Three other officials had previously been arrested and charged. They are Duke Simeon Onyari, Clerk of the Nyamira County Assembly; Eng. Josephat Matini Oruru, Chief Officer for Roads and Public Works; and Simon Ondari Ogecha, Infrastructure Officer.

The latest arrests follow investigations into the procurement and award of the tender for construction of the county assembly office block.

The EACC has previously documented an inquiry into alleged procurement irregularities surrounding the award of the Sh367 million Nyamira County Assembly office block tender.

The anti-corruption agency is mandated to investigate and prosecute corruption and economic crimes, as well as promote integrity and ethical conduct in public institutions.

The arrests are part of the ongoing investigation, and the allegations against the officials will be subject to determination through the judicial process.