This archive report was first published on 8 July 2019.
Residents, suppliers, and contractors in Kisumu are calling on Governor Anyang Nyong'o to take action against rogue officers in his administration who are accused of plundering county resources.
At the center of the controversy is the roads department, where a senior engineer is alleged to be involved in corrupt activities. The engineer's wife is a contractor and director of a company that has been awarded several contracts worth millions of shillings.
According to sources, the engineer is known for being arrogant and corrupt, and is said to have a significant influence over the county's road projects. He is accused of awarding contracts to his wife's company without following proper procedures, and of demanding bribes from contractors who want to work on county projects.
The engineer's activities have been linked to the poor state of many roads in the county. Residents have complained that the roads are in a deplorable condition, and that the engineer's wife's company has been awarded several contracts despite not having the necessary experience or expertise.
One of the engineer's colleagues, a CEC in the roads department, has also been accused of corruption. The CEC is said to have a 24-hour security detail and is known to park several Mercedes-Benz cars at his home in a leafy suburb of Kisumu.
Recently, an MCA in the county threatened to expose the CEC after realizing that he had been bribed heavily to award a contract worth Sh2 million. The MCA has since vowed not to concentrate on county jobs littered with looting cartels and has instead embarked on doing business with the Kenya Ports Authority.
On July 8, 2019, sources told the press that the MCA had vowed not to concentrate on county jobs littered with looting cartels but has instead embarked in doing business with Kenya Ports Authority, his initial roots before he plunged in the turbulent waters of politics.
