Officer mortgages census equipment for beer

With only a few hours to go before the census begins, a census official in Nyamira has been fired for mortgaging census palmtop computer and a  power bank for beer

The official, an ICT expert, wanted to quench his thirst but he did not have the cash to pay for his drink. Unable to raise the money, he decided to offer the census gadgets as collateral. 

Nyamira County Commissioner Amos Mariba has confirmed the incident.

He told the Standard that the officer wanted alcohol on loan, and offered to surrender the gadgets that will be used in the upcoming census. It was not immediately known how much beer he consumed before he was arrested.

Missed a pre-census planning meeting

Mariba said the officer was arrested after he missed pre-census preparation and briefing meeting on Wednesday. 

"The ICT census supervisor was issued with a census tablet and a power bank and consequently went missing since Wednesday," said Mariba, the County Census Committee chairman.

A search was then mounted to trace the officer. With days to go before the census, police from Sengera police had a tough time looking for the officer. After a frantic search, they located him at a watering hole. He later led the police officers to a different club, where the census machines were recovered.

Japhan Wachiali, the head of statistics in the region, confirmed interdiction of the officer, saying he had already been replaced.

Meanwhile, Homa Bay County Commissioner Harman Shambi has banned night prayers during the census period.

Shambi directed security officials to ensure nobody goes to church on Saturday and Sunday evening.

Addressing journalists in his office after a security meeting, Shambi said night prayers will equally be affected like bars and clubs, which will be closed on the two nights of 24th and 25th August.