Governor James Orengo of Siaya has acknowledged reports of questionable transactions by senior county officials just days before the August 9 General Election.
According to reports, top officials in former governor Cornel Rasanga’s administration withdrew cash totaling around Ksh.400 million less than two weeks before the election.
According to the Daily Nation, some employees paid themselves huge sums while ignoring a moratorium on payments of allowances and pending bills.
“The cash was transferred between July 1 and July 13… A closer look at the documents also revealed that the Siaya County executive paid a total of Sh11,254,800 to four individuals – Mr Silvester Douglas Ogolla, Mr Kevin Ochieng Masawa, Mr Anthony Odiwuor Omollo and Mr Muga Erick Omollo – believed to be clerks of various committees in the assembly,” the Nation quoted in the exposé.
All of these payments are said to have been made on July 4, when three clerks allegedly received up to five payments ranging from Ksh.650,000 to Ksh.716,000 in one day.
In a press statement issued Wednesday afternoon, Governor Orengo stated that he was aware of the suspicious activity detailed in the report and that the information came from a forensic audit of Siaya’s records that his new administration had commissioned.
“This is not news. It justifies the step we have taken to carry out a thorough and comprehensive forensic audit led by a team of experts. This is the only way towards eradicating endemic and systemic corruption in Siaya,” he said.
“Indeed, without mincing words, the treasury in Siaya is rotten,” added the county boss, who also pointed out that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is also probing cases of misappropriation within the county government.
Furthermore, Orengo stated that the county has halted payment of pending bills until verification and confirmation are completed, “except in cases of essential services and emergencies.”
“No procurements are being undertaken nor new contracts awarded until we are done with the application of prompt and effective interventions. The County Treasury is directed not to pay or engage in any financial transactions without my direct authority until advised otherwise,” Orengo stated.
“I want to assure the people of Siaya that nothing will be spared and nobody will be spared within the context of a comprehensive and decisive strategy and solution to this problem,” he added.
Orengo appointed a seven-member taskforce last week to conduct a forensic audit of the county government’s previous administration’s financial operations.
The taskforce, chaired by former Auditor General Edward Ouko, is tasked with evaluating, assessing, and determining the county’s human resource establishment and revenue administration, with a focus on fiscal years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022.
Following the 60-day audit process, the team must assess and make recommendations on the necessary reforms within the county’s governance structures and systems to improve service delivery.
Meanwhile, the EACC is investigating Siaya County for alleged misappropriation of Ksh.600 million by previous administration officials.
