EACC arrests four former Nyamira officials over irregular staff appointments
The individuals are accused of hiring 56 staff members irregularly in the Department of Gender, Youth, Culture, and Social Services.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has taken decisive action by arresting four former senior officials from Nyamira County for their involvement in corrupt hiring practices.
The individuals are accused of hiring 56 staff members irregularly in the Department of Gender, Youth, Culture, and Social Services.
According to the EACC, the arrests followed investigations that revealed a hiring process tainted by corruption, nepotism, and clannism. The suspects are currently in custody at Kisii Central Police Station and are set to face court on Tuesday, March 4, 2025
The individuals arrested include Peter Omwanza Ogwara, the former Nyamira County Executive Committee Member, Beatrice Mokeira Siribah, former Commissioner at Nyamira County Public Service Board, Chadwick Maranga Sangara, former Principal Culture Office and Geoffrey Ogeto Michira, former Assistant Director of Administration.
These arrests come amidst growing concerns about corruption within county governments across Kenya. Recent reports from the EACC have shown the alarming extent of corruption, with county officials and even governors' spouses accused of misusing public funds worth billions.
In its latest quarterly report, the EACC highlighted how 51 cases were filed in 2024, with 47 forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for prosecution.
Two cases were filed for administrative action, while the rest were closed.
The government has also ramped up efforts to address corruption. Attorney General Dorcas Oduor last week revealed that all corruption cases in the country would be resolved within six months of their commencement.
This announcement came during the launch of the Kenya Integrity Plan (KIP), where Oduor also introduced the Anti-Corruption Law Amendment Bill 2025.
The Bill, once passed, aims to speed up corruption trials and reduce judicial delays, ensuring that cases are concluded within a six-month timeframe.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to tackle the rampant corruption that continues to plague the country. In a report released in January 2024, the EACC disclosed that it received 5,171 corruption-related complaints in the 2023-2024 financial year, marking an increase from the previous year's 4,932 cases. Of these, 2,207 cases fell within the EACC's mandate, with 534 under active investigation and 221 already in court.
The Commission's annual report also showed that bribery was the most common issue, accounting for 42% of the cases under investigation, followed by embezzlement (13%) and unethical conduct (12%). The EACC has referred 512 cases to other agencies and obtained over 1,500 search warrants to investigate suspected corruption further.
Top Stories Today
