EACC probes 20 Baringo County officers over alleged theft of Sh100 million

The office governor of Baringo County. [Image: Courtesy]

The anti-graft agency has summoned 20 senior officers from the county government of Baringo over corruption allegations linked to the Sh100 million meant for rehabilitation of roads in the 2017/2018 budget.

According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) South Rift Director Hassan Khalid, the officers were summoned on Monday and by Wednesday at least 14 had been interrogated and their statements recorded.

Among those being probed are the County Secretary Francis Komen, Director of Procurement Moses Toroitich, Chief Officer of Roads and Infrastructure Michael Kiptoo and the County Chief Executive Committee member for Roads Elijah Kipkoros.

Also to face investigators is the County Roads Engineer and a number of junior staff serving in the department of roads, procurement, and accounts.

Khalid said the project established under the 2018/2019 financial years was to improve roads in 30 wards across the county and was dubbed Imarisha Barabara; under rapid response initiative.

The allegations revolve around irregularities in the procurement process, substandard work and outright theft of public funds.

“The officials summoned are accused of illegality in the rapid response initiative of over Sh100 million that was illegally procured and to work done was shoddy,” said Mr Khalid.

When he took office, Governor Stanley Kiptis introduced the Imerisha Barabara project that he revealed would cost taxpayers Sh80 million in one financial year to improve the roads network in the vast county.

The governor then warned that the contractors who will be hired need to show their prowess in the field and ensure quality is offered. He warned that those whose services will be below the required standards will have their contracts terminated.

“From the contractors, we are expecting nothing less than quality services, and those who will not be delivering we will terminate their contracts” he warned.

The auditor general in his 2017/2018 budget report, indicated that Governor Stanley Kiptis administration failed to explain why it budgeted for over Sh250 million road projects but could not implement a single one.

The audit revealed that the county department of Transport and Infrastructure budgeted to construct 102 road projects, four flagships projects, and 83 rollover projects from prior years during the 2017/2018 Financial Year.

It, however, emerged that 24 projects with a contract sum of Sh63,393,376 were completed, 87 projects worth Sh184,355,902 were ongoing which included eight rollover projects of Sh11,367,079.

It, however, emerged that eight projects with a value of Sh22, 165,655 had not been started as at June 30, 2018.

"No explanation has been provided for failure to complete the projects or explained why the County Executive budgeted for projects it could not implement during the year," stated the Auditor General's report.

The report further indicated that the county government was unable to restore Kipngorom-Sirwa road which was constructed at a cost of Sh4, 126,033.

The road was previously maintained by Kenya Rural Roads Authority before it was taken over by the County Government.