Kwale Cartels Profiting Millions through Illegal Tender Flaws Exposed
The arrest of Kwale county senior officers over corruption allegations has opened the lid on the excessive rot and misuse of public resources at the county.
The County is on the spot over shoddy work being done by contractors who are walking away with millions in a well coordinated way involving rogue officers from investigative agencies and the national government.
There has been a cat and mouse game after the Director of Criminal Investigations( DCI) and the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission ( EACC) and county officials with our investigations indicating that the suspect county officials are seeking negotiations to avoid any arrests.
This has brought to sharp focus the activities of Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani who is being accused of ignoring some areas in her development agenda and giving tenders to her close friends.
The Governor is now facing a possible impeachment motion with reports that a section of the County Assembly Members are tired with her way of operations.
One of the senior MCAs at the assembly who did not want to be quoted said that a motion to impeach the governor is on the cards and this could also involve executive members close to the governor.
The section of MCAs of the who want out claim that while she is doing a great job on matters development,all budgets are manipulated and against the stipulations of the PFM Act 2015.
“Yes she is doing a good job on roads and water connectivity but with a lot of tribalism and nepotism. Contractors are a big loss to us,” a contractor said.
A case in point is the Matuga Lunguma-Mbuguni road and Kiteje that remain neglected despite numerous allocations for the road.
A resident disgracefully posted her disappointments over the contractor who put up a fake signage. The governor is said to have bribed relevant oversight at the county assembly to ignore the matter.
Some of the dilapidated roads in Kwale county. Several county senior staff are being trailed by investigative authorities over corruption allegations and they include chief officers and engineers
Other projects under scrutiny are in Kinango, Mwaluphamba, Msambweni, Lunga Lunga all suspected to have been neglected despite millions of budgetary allocations.
“Check even the busy Kwale Kinango-Tiribe road is completely neglected. That is where our national heritage on wildlife thrives She can’t even push the national government. She is a fake leader.” the MCA added
This comes after EACC arrested five Kwale County Government officials including the Head of Treasury and his four brothers.
This was in connection with a staggering Ksh.44.9 million graft scandal allegedly involving the misuse of public funds within the Kwale County Government.
Vincent Chirima Mbito, serving as the Head of Treasury for Kwale County, stands accused of orchestrating the corrupt practices, with the purported involvement of his siblings.
Those arrested also include Mongo Mbito Mongo, identified as the County Revenue Officer, Hassan Shilingi Mbito, a driver associated with the Kwale Water and Sewerage Company Limited, Mwaiwe Mongo Mbito, serving as the Kwale County Procurement Officer, and Chindoro Mongo Mbito, who is employed in the Ministry of Health’s Department of Public Health and Professional Standards.
According to reports, the Mbito family members are believed to have utilized a family-owned company to facilitate the embezzlement of public funds, implicating various sectors of the Kwale County Government in the process.
“The current charges relate to 10 contracts fraudulently awarded to the companies; Rome Investments and Chilongola Limited; which were paid exaggerated amounts Ksh.44,919,341 and Ksh.4,007,943 respectively. The total amount was distributed to the suspects,” said EACC.
According to the anti-graft body, the fraudulently awarded contracts were for the supply and delivery of sanitation materials, food and ration, general office supplies, and institutional appliances.
Some of the dilapidated roads in Kwale county. Several county senior staff are being trailed by investigative authorities over corruption allegations and they include chief officers and engineers
Following their apprehension, the suspects were escorted from the Mombasa Central Police Station to the Anti-Corruption Court to formally face charges and enter a plea.
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