The Embu County government allegedly redirected Ksh.10 million allocated for development purposes to finance a political event aimed at supporting boda boda riders.
During a stunning disclosure before the Senate Public Accounts committee, it was revealed that funds intended for the county’s aggregated industrial park were instead utilized to support the boda boda summit attended by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
Committee members questioned why county authorities were improperly accessing public funds for political activities while neglecting the industrial park construction that would benefit local residents.
“We organized what we termed a boda boda summit where we were launching boda boda Saccos, but lacked sufficient funds. Having already committed to providing financial support to these Saccos, we utilized the allocated funds for this purpose,” explained Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire to the committee.
Committee Chairperson Moses Kajwang and other members expressed astonishment at the Governor’s confession, criticizing county officials for consistently violating laws and misusing public resources.
“Which is more problematic: funding a boda boda event or Vihiga County’s admission of raiding accounts for a house warming ceremony? This case appears more severe. We must now formulate our recommendations,” stated Kajwang.
“Such financial misappropriation cannot be tolerated, particularly if the funds originated from the Senate. This constitutes an illegality that requires formal determination,” he added.
The committee indicated that Governor Mbarire and relevant officials should be held accountable through surcharge for their unlawful actions.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna emphasized that the county must face significant consequences for intentionally violating legal requirements.
“There must be a distinction between unintentional lawbreakers and the individuals from Embu who deliberately committed these offenses. They deserve substantial punitive measures,” remarked Sifuna.
Governor Mbarire, in her defense, requested leniency from the Senate, asserting that this was the first instance of such an infraction in Embu County.
“This was an isolated occurrence in our county, undertaken under considerable pressure. I assure you it will not be repeated,” she appealed.