Nyong'o on the spot over top police officer’s house project
Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
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According to documents seen by the Nation, Sh2,498,542 is said to have been spent to renovate the house during the financial year 2018/19, despite the fact that the project had not been budgeted for and normal tendering processes deliberately flouted.
The County Government of Kisumu is on the spot for renovating a senior police commander’s house in a bid to cajole the National Police Service (NPS) in an ongoing investigation by police and the anti-graft agency into various improprieties in the county.
An investigation by the Nation unearthed how Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o allegedly ordered officials in the Business, Cooperative and Marketing (BCM) department to renovate the police commander’s house to the tune of Sh2.5 million.
This is despite the fact that NPS, which falls under the Ministry of Interior, is a unit within the national government.
According to documents seen by the Nation, Sh2,498,542 is said to have been spent to renovate the house during the financial year 2018/19, despite the fact that the project had not been budgeted for and normal tendering processes were deliberately flouted.
Former BCM Executive Member Richard Ogendo stated that Prof Nyong’o had instructed him to ensure the house is renovated.
But Prof Nyong’o’s spokesperson Aloice Ager exonerated the governor from blame, adding that he was not aware of the said works.
“On some occasions, county government staff also reside in national government houses and so, if such work was undertaken, then it should not raise the alarm,” Mr Ager said.
The revelations came in the wake of an ongoing probe into a fire which gutted a section of the county's finance office on February 9.
Kisumu County police boss Ranson Lolmodooni, who resides in the renovated house, said nobody had been apprehended over the inferno.
“Investigations are still ongoing and no arrests have been made so far,” the police boss said.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is currently investigating irregular purchase of the governor’s official vehicle alleged to cost Sh19 million.
The agency has also been investigating a Sh100 million consultancy tender for the refurbishment of Moi Stadium in the county.
Western EACC deputy regional boss Aura Chibole confirmed that the authority was investigating allegations of irregularities in the award of the tender.
The commission, he said, was also finalising investigations into the controversial purchase of a Sh19 million fuel guzzler for the governor.
