EACC probing MCAs accused of blackmailing governors, manipulating county tenders

EACC headquarters at the Integrity Centre, Nairobi. (Photo: EACC)

By Lucy Mumbi
Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Ngumbi further cautioned that ward representatives and county officials doing business with county governments risk breaching the new Conflict of Interest Act, 2025, which was signed into law by President William Ruto last month.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has launched an investigation into rising cases of Members of County Assembly (MCAs) allegedly blackmailing governors and demanding control over county tenders.

According to the Commission, the conduct has escalated into threats of impeachment and transfers of county officials who fail to cooperate.

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Speaking in Kakamega during the opening of the Corruption Prevention Forum for County Executive Committee Members and Chief Officers of Kakamega County, EACC Western Regional Director Eric Ngumbi said the trend is undermining accountability in counties and fuelling corruption.

“MCAs are increasingly demanding tenders for development projects in their wards, as well as the employment of their relatives. When demands by ward representatives are not met, the MCAs resort to blackmail and threaten County Executive officials with impeachment or other punitive measures. We are currently investigating several County Assemblies in the Western region, and arrests will soon follow,” Ngumbi said.

He warned that such behaviour weakens accountability in devolved units and undermines the constitutional oversight role of County Assemblies.

“These practices compromise the ability of MCAs to effectively discharge their oversight responsibilities over the use of public funds, thereby exacerbating corruption at the county level,” he added.

Ngumbi further cautioned that ward representatives and county officials doing business with county governments risk breaching the new Conflict of Interest Act, 2025, which was signed into law by President William Ruto last month.

“MCAs and county officials found culpable of engaging in such misconduct will be denied or barred from receiving clearance to run for elective office or assume public positions, in accordance with the new law,” he said.

The Regional Director also disclosed that the Commission is probing six MCAs implicated in multiple cases of conflict of interest, involving the award of tenders worth Sh144.20 million to 40 proxy companies.

“We are pursuing cases where ward representatives are suspected of siphoning public funds through companies registered under the names of family members and close associates,” Ngumbi said.

He further revealed that eight senior county officials are also under investigation for conflict of interest in fraudulent tenders valued at Sh1.4 billion, awarded to 38 proxy companies linked to them.

“In some instances, MCAs demand the transfer of Executive officials who fail to ‘cooperate’ with them. This has significantly undermined the ability of County Assemblies to exercise their oversight function, further fuelling corruption in the counties,” Ngumbi said.

The Commission also raised alarm that some counties have been avoiding payment transactions approved by the Controller of Budget, instead diverting the funds for embezzlement through fictitious payments for services never rendered.

Ngumbi highlighted further concerns over the failure by some devolved units to remit statutory deductions from employees’ salaries to the relevant agencies. He also cited abuse of bulk imprests, which are withdrawn in cash by individuals using forged documentation, often for the benefit of senior officials.