A nominee for the position of County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock in Makueni County appeared before the County Assembly’s Appointments Committee with documents that failed verification checks.

Sarah Wayua Nzau, who was nominated by Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., shocked members of the committee after several of her documents could not be authenticated through the digital verification system during the vetting exercise.

Document discrepancies

The committee, chaired by Speaker Douglas Mbilu, established that Wayua’s graduate certificate, Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) clearance certificate, Certificate of Good Conduct, Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) certificate, and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) compliance certificate could not be systematically verified.

Assembly clerks discovered discrepancies after entering the nominee’s KRA PIN and serial number into the verification system, with the details reportedly corresponding to different individuals.

The committee also noted that the nominee’s Certificate of Good Conduct, which had allegedly been processed in March this year, lacked a QR code for validation. Upon scanning, the document was flagged as invalid.

Further concerns emerged after the verification details for her Metropol Credit Reference Bureau certificate differed from those of other applicants who had processed similar documents during the same period.

As Speaker Mbilu read out the verification findings, the visibly nervous 54-year-old left-handed nominee was seen fidgeting and occasionally taking notes.

Mbilu reminded the nominee that the law requires all gubernatorial appointees to undergo thorough vetting by the County Assembly.

“What do you have to tell us about this?” Mbilu asked.

He added that the Assembly was constitutionally mandated to scrutinise nominees on behalf of the public.

“We are asking these questions because the law requires the Governor to submit nominees to the County Assembly for vetting.

“The appointing authority does not have the mandate or mechanisms to conduct such verification,” Mbilu said.

Minority Leader Jades Kalunda warned that the Speaker and the committee risked legal consequences if they approved candidates using fraudulent documents.

“The Speaker can be taken to court if he allows candidates to sail through using bogus documents. That is why the committee has a well-informed technical team conducting thorough background checks,” the Kikumbulyu South MCA said.

Cyber café fingered

In her response, a visibly shaken Wayua told the committee that she was unaware the documents were unauthentic. She explained that she had delegated the processing of the documents to a cyber café attendant while recovering in the hospital after being involved in an accident.

“First of all, I am sorry. I only sent money to someone at a cyber café to process the documents because I had an accident and could not move around by myself. I believed everything had been done correctly, but I apologise because this is not my nature,” she said.

She requested more time to personally follow up and obtain valid documents now that she had recovered.

Earlier during the vetting session, the nominee also struggled to answer questions related to improving service delivery in the Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock department.

She was unable to clearly explain the county budget-making process, including the requirement that budgets must be approved by the County Assembly before being forwarded to the Governor for assent.

If approved, Wayua would fill the vacancy left by former CECM Elizabeth Muli, who was dismissed three months ago following the controversial mango procurement scandal at the Kalamba Fruit Processing Plant, which reportedly caused major losses to farmers.

The committee also vetted Irene Nduku Makau, who has been nominated to head the Trade Department.

Nduku previously served in various county departments as a Chief Officer and has been nominated to replace the late Dr Sonia Nzilani, who died seven months ago after a short illness.

She also previously served as office manager to Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr during his tenure as Makueni Senator.

Other nominees vetted by the committee included Julius Kinyungu, who has been nominated as Chief Officer for Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock, and David Ndolo, nominated as Chief Officer for Infrastructure.