The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has placed nine governors under investigation in its ongoing nationwide war against graft.
EACC Chairperson Dr. David Oginde revealed on Tuesday that the commission is focusing on counties heavily affected by corruption, with governors leading in the misappropriation of public funds. Dr. Oginde said the investigations also target other county officials.
“We are pursuing quite a number of governors at the moment — nine are under scrutiny at different stages of their cases. It’s not just governors; it goes down to other county staff. Counties are what are keeping us busy right now,” he stated.
Dr. Oginde noted with concern that some of the worst-hit counties are those considered marginalized, where leaders divert development funds to personal investments in Nairobi, including purchasing apartments and starting businesses.
Investigations have reportedly uncovered elaborate schemes where senior county leaders use junior staff as conduits to transfer stolen money into private accounts. Common avenues for graft include tender fraud, with companies linked to officials inflating prices for goods and services.
However, Dr. Oginde lamented that political interference remains a major challenge, with supporters sometimes storming EACC offices to disrupt investigations. He warned that politicizing corruption has long undermined the fight against the vice.
The commission vowed to continue pursuing high-profile suspects to protect public resources and restore accountability in county governments.
