This archive report was first published on 13 November 2019.
EACC Investigates West Pokot Water Department Over Sh300 Million Scam ¶
On November 13, 2019, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) launched an investigation into the West Pokot county water department after allegations emerged that top officials had paid over Sh300 million for boreholes that had already been constructed by a non-governmental organisation.
According to reports, the officials from the water department had paid the money claiming that West Pokot county had drilled the boreholes located in Kacheliba, Kapenguria, Sigor, and some parts of Chepareria. Each borehole allegedly gulped over Sh15 million.
Speaking to journalists in Kapenguria, a senior EACC official confirmed that they had collected documents from the county office and would be summoning several senior staff, including the immediate water chief executive officer Milka Psiwa, to shed light on how they spent the money.
“For sure, nobody will be spared once we are through with the investigations that will see several staff facing the wrath of the law,” the official said, adding that the investigations were at an advanced stage.
Earlier, Julius Murgor, the director of the non-governmental organisation that had been involved in the drilling of boreholes in the larger Pokot area, confirmed that the EACC officials had written to him to confirm how many boreholes his organisation, Pokot Outreach Ministries, had drilled in the entire West Pokot county.
“We want the West Pokot governor John Lonyangapou to tell us on which criteria did the county government use to pay money on projects that had already been funded by his organisation,” Rev Murgor said.
Commenting on the matter, several leaders from West Pokot county, including Kapenguria MP Samuel Moroto, Kacheliba MP Mark Lomolokol, and Sigor counterpart Peter Lochakapong, demanded that those involved in the looting of public funds should be prosecuted.
