A major scandal is now unfolding inside the County Government of Migori after dozens of suppliers, consultants, and service providers contracted during the 5th Piny Luo Festival accused rogue officials within the county finance department of frustrating legitimate payments while businesses collapse under debt. The affected suppliers, who worked under Elgon Group during the Migori Cultural Extravaganza and Piny...

A major scandal is now unfolding inside the County Government of Migori after dozens of suppliers, consultants, and service providers contracted during the 5th Piny Luo Festival accused rogue officials within the county finance department of frustrating legitimate payments while businesses collapse under debt. The affected suppliers, who worked under Elgon Group during the Migori Cultural Extravaganza and Piny Luo Festival 2025, say they delivered services professionally in areas including media coordination, logistics, sports management, protocol, communications, and site preparation, but six months later many are still unpaid. The festival ended on 17th December 2025, yet suppliers say they have been abandoned despite reports that substantial public funds linked to the event were already approved and released. Now attention is squarely turning to Migori County Chief Officer for Finance and Economic Planning Dr. John Achuora, who suppliers accuse of presiding over a rogue payment cartel that has deliberately frustrated settlement of legitimate claims while small businesses sink deeper into financial ruin. According to the suppliers, the delays can no longer be explained as ordinary bureaucracy. In January 2026, Margaret Nyakang’o approved withdrawal of KSh 105 million from the Exchequer under Article 223 of the Constitution to facilitate the Piny Luo Cultural Festival after Treasury requested additional funds. With public funds reportedly already approved, suppliers are now demanding answers on where the money went and why businesses that delivered services are still unpaid half a year later. “We delivered our services professionally and ensured the success of a major county event, yet many of us are still struggling to recover payments owed to us months later,” one of the affected consultants said on behalf of the group. Suppliers now claim powerful insiders within Migori County’s finance structures are sitting on payment files while businesses continue collapsing under unpaid debts. The controversy has further exposed allegations of conflict of interest and insider procurement networks involving county officials and private contractors. Sources familiar with the matter allege that Dennis Wasike, a liaison officer within the county government, operates closely with individuals connected to Elgon Group through family ties, creating a powerful insider network that allegedly influences access to lucrative county tenders while bypassing fairness and transparency. Suppliers now say the entire arrangement has exposed how cartels within Migori County continue exploiting public events for personal enrichment while downstream contractors and service providers suffer silently. Many affected businesses are now unable to pay workers, settle loans, or sustain operations because of the delayed payments. “We are asking the relevant authorities to ensure legitimate suppliers are paid for work already completed. No business should suffer losses after delivering on its contractual obligations,” part of the suppliers’ petition states. The suppliers have now issued a 14-day ultimatum warning that unless payments are settled immediately, they will move to court against Elgon Group and pursue legal action over breach of contract and related damages. The unfolding scandal now raises serious questions about accountability, procurement integrity, and financial management within Migori County as pressure mounts on Governor Ochillo Ayacko and his administration to explain how a flagship county cultural event ended with suppliers abandoned, businesses sinking, and millions in public funds under scrutiny.