This archive report was first published on 13 August 2019.
Abala Wanga, the acting Chief Executive Officer of the Lake Region Economic Bloc, has stepped down from his position, effective August 16, 2019.
Wanga, who has been at the helm of the bloc that brings together 14 counties in western Kenya, cited personal reasons for his resignation, stating that he would be engaging in other duties.
However, sources close to the matter indicate that Wanga's resignation was prompted by a criminal court case from 2014, in which he was convicted by a Kiambu court earlier this month.
The court case has raised concerns about Wanga's moral standing, particularly in the eyes of donors such as the Ford Foundation, which funds most of the LREB's activities.
During his tenure, Wanga played a key role in steering the counties in the bloc to sign the LREB bill into law, with eight counties having already done so.
He also spearheaded the idea of establishing an LREB bank, a plan that has faced resistance from the National Treasury and Central Bank, despite counties allocating Ksh.200 million annually to the kitty.
