EACC pitches tent in West Pokot to probe water scam – Weekly Citizen

Panic has once again gripped West Pokot county following a move by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate its water department after top officials at the county office are said to have paid over Sh300 million for boreholes that had been constructed by a non-governmental organisation operating in the large Pokot area.
The officials drawn from EACC officers in Eldoret and Nairobi confiscated several documents from the Kapenguria offices, while another team is said to have recorded statements from some staff at the water department who are said to have been involved in the payment of the dubious projects.
A senior official at the EACC office in Eldoret confirmed that they had collected documents from the county office, after complaints and reports confirmed that public funds had been used to pay off projects that are not reflected on the ground.
“I want to confirm to you that we shall be summoning several senior staff from the water section including the immediate water chief executive officer Milka Psiwa to shed light on how they spent the money,” the official told journalists in Kapenguria shortly after visiting the officers in focus.

Governor Lonyangapuo

“For sure, nobody will be spared once we are through with the investigations that will see several staff facing the wrath of the law,” the official from the EACC said, adding that the investigations were at advanced stage.
Reports says that the officials from the water department are said to have paid the money purporting that West Pokot county had drilled the boreholes located in Kacheliba, Kapenguria, Sigor and some parts of Chepareria. Each borehole is said to have gulped over Sh15 million.
Earlier, Julius Murgor who is the director of the non-governmental organisation that has been involved in the drilling of boreholes in the larger Pokot area, confirmed to the press that the EACC officials had written to him to confirm how many boreholes his organisation -Pokot Outreach Ministries – had drilled boreholes in the entire West Pokot county.
“We want the West Pokot governor John Lonyangapou to tell us on which criteria did the county government use to pay money on projects that had already been funded by his organisation,” Rev Murgor said.

Murgor

He added that the organisation had enough evidence to prove that some of the boreholes had been paid to a tune of Sh300 million. “How can the county government pay money that is supposed to be public fund to already projects that have been completed,” Rev Murgor said adding that those involved should face the law.
Speaking at a vernacular station in West Pokot county after jetting in from America where he had gone on official trip, Governor Lonyangapou said that he was not aware that money from the county government had been used to pay the projects, adding that those involved should prepare to carry their own cross.
He said he was not going to defend any staff involved in the running down of the county money.
Milka Psiwa who then was heading the department before he was moved to the health docket was among those who accompanied him to USA on the official tour that has highly been criticised by Pokot as a waste of public funds.

MP Samuel Moroto

Commenting on the matter, Kapenguria MP Samuel Moroto, Kacheliba MP Mark Lomolokol and his Sigor counterpart Peter Lochakapong said that those involved in looting of public funds meant for Pokot community should be prosecuted.
They said they are surprised that looting of public funds continues in the county and told the EACC officials to ensure that those involved are brought to book to account for their misdeeds.
Speaker of the West Pokot county Catherine Mukenyang, also demanded that those involved in the looting of public funds should not be spared by the law.
Senator Samuel Poghisio said that he was shocked that county staff at West Pokot had continued to loot public funds and challenged Lonyangapou to come out clean over the matter saying that it was unfortunate that over Sh300 million would be paid off nonperforming projects yet the people of Pokot need water, which a rare commodity in the region.
The immediate West Pokot governor Simon Kachapin said that the Pokot community will not sit back and allow a few individuals to continue fleecing the community using public resources, adding that those involved should be in jail.
Rev John Lodinyo of Kiwawa parish said it is time those involved were made to face the law with immediate effect.