The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) wants five officials of the Kitui county Government charged with various corruption and economic crimes related offences following the diversion of Covid 19 funds to the Kitui County Textile Centre (KICOTEC) during former governor Charity Ngilu’s term.
Senators were treated to drama and confusion after it emerged that the land on which KICOTEC sits on does not belong to the county government but was forcefully taken away from Syongila Youth Polytechnic.
EACC officials who appeared before the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee chaired by Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi revealed that Sh500 Million allocated to Kitui County Government for Covid-19 mitigation in 2019-2020 was misappropriated and that part of the monies was diverted to Kitui County Textile Centre (KICOTEC) for supply of equipment.
The investigations, EACC said, established that the county government received Sh120 million and Sh 300 million as a conditional grant meant specifically for Covid 19 interventions.
The funds were however not used for Covid 19 related activities as was required by the guidelines on utilization of the conditional grant but instead were used for purposes other than that for which they were intended, hence the funds were misappropriated.
The recommendations came after EACC disclosed that in 2019, an allegation of procurement irregularities and conflict of interest against Ngilu in establishing and running KICOTEC was forwarded to them that Trendy Links Ltd a company owned by her son was irregularly appointed to run the facility in the year 2018.
Reads a document submitted before the senators by EACC: “The Commission completed investigations and file forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions with recommendations to charge five (5) county officials on various corruption and economic crimes related offences.”
The recommendations by EACC came even after top officials of the Syongilla Youth Polytechnic who had been summoned to appear before the committee alongside Ngilu narrated to the senators how they were subjected to harassment and intimidation to force them to release the title deed of the land to pave way for the construction of KICOTEC. The committee which had also summoned current governor Julius Malombe, former board members of KICOTEC.
