EACC probes women rep bank accounts – Weekly Citizen

Trouble is looming at the office of Bungoma county women representative Catherine Wambilianga as investigations over graft and nepotism take centrestage. Wambilianga is being investigated by Ethics AntiCorruption Commission over gross misconduct and abuse of office. Her bank accounts and those of her relatives and allies are also targeted. It is said that Wambilianga has employed close relatives and ghost workers in his office. She has allegedly used office funds to pay for life insurance for herself and two of her children. An insurance company is also involved in the scam and if found guilty, will be reported to Insurance Regulatory Authority for disciplinary action. Another probe involves manipulation of the payroll and dubious payments running into Sh3 million. Philip Wekesa a human rights activist took the case to the antigraft agency, claiming that a total of Sh66 million meant for civic education, sports, monitoring and evaluation and environmental conservation for three consecutive financial years cannot be accounted for as the events did not take place.

Catherine Wambilianga

Wekesa said the women rep was supposed to spend at least Sh22 million every financial year but nothing is on the ground to show that the money was spent for the intended purpose. He also claimed that the fencing of the Bungoma Rescue Centre did not follow procurement rules since there was single sourcing and the contract awarded to one of her relatives employed in her office, Saying that there are over 25 close relatives working at his office, and that she manipulated the payroll that includes ghost workers who benefit from the tax payers money. Wekesa further claimed that Wambilianga has a life insurance cover for herself, the son and her daughter, where she uses office money to pay for their life cover to a tune of Sh329,578. However, the money has been indicated as being drawn from salaries. Each of them has life cover of approximately Sh110,000 which is paid every month.

“We will be forced to move to the court to ensure justice is served if within 14 days no arrests will have taken place. We don’t have confidence with the EACC officers stationed in Bungoma given that they dine and wine with people we believe have misused the taxpayers money like the pelicans saga,” he added. EACC has been urged to crack the whip on Governor Wycliffe Wangamati’s government for corruption. At least 20 employees working in Wambilianga’s office are said to be her relatives and managers of a petrol station in Webuye town where the legislator is supposed to fuel her official government car but also fuel her trucks and private cars using government resources. In panic, Wambilianga has sacked personal assistant Allan Wocha. The MP has linked Wocha to corruption but the now ex-aide accuses Wambilianga and her office manager of being behind the missing millions.