- Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has formally summoned 17 top officials of Kisumu County Government over allegations of manipulation of tenders.
County Executive Committee (CEC) for Tourism, Achie Alai, members of the tender and evaluation committees and the secretarial acceptance and inspection committee members are set to appear before the graft body as from next Monday.
They are to be questioned over impropriety over funds for branding and consultancy services amounting to Sh. 20 million.
In statement signed by EACC regional manager Mogare Oira dated August 20, 2020 and addressed to the County Secretary (CS), Godfrey Kigochi, the Anti-Corruption body had also asked for additional documents not provided to them as had previously been requested.
The CEC for Tourism, Achie Alai is alleged to have influenced a company associated with her to be awarded the consultancy contract of Sh. 20 million.
“To further assist our investigations, kindly facilitate the following staff to appear for interview and statement recording at our EACC offices,” reads the letter in part.
This development comes in the wake of reports that the said company (OG Plus Company Ltd) had been rejected by an independently appointed committee, according to the documents as well as reports already availed at the EACC regional offices.
The Anti-graft body has separately written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to not allow the CEC to leave the country as they move to finalize the investigations.
Sources confided that the CEC (Alai), before taking up the appointment at Kisumu County Government lived in the United States of America (USA) and so could easily relocate in the heat of the ongoing investigations.
Kisumu EACC regional manager Mogare Oira confirmed to KNA having written to the County government summoning the staff while demanding additional documents so as to have a tightly woven case as the investigations climax.
By Joseph Ouma/George Kaiga
