The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is making waves in Kisii County, as two senior officials from the County Assembly have been caught up in a legal storm. The Deputy Clerk and a former Speaker are under scrutiny for allegedly bending the rules to hire the Deputy Clerk’s niece.
According to EACC’s findings, the Deputy Clerk orchestrated his niece’s hiring as a clerical officer back on October 24, 2017.
The catch? He sidestepped the necessary nod from the county’s Public Service Board, ignoring the usual recruitment protocols.
The situation escalated when the niece landed a permanent gig as the Speaker’s Personal Assistant (PA), flouting guidelines from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) that dictate such roles should be temporary contracts.
The former Speaker is now facing heat for allegedly using his position to swing the job in favor of the Deputy Clerk’s niece. This has led to the Deputy Clerk being charged with abuse of office. He appeared in Kisii Law Court, where he pleaded not guilty, and was offered bail or bond options.
As for the former Speaker, he was a no-show at his court date for similar charges, prompting the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to issue a summons.
This scenario highlights ongoing issues with nepotism and unauthorized hires in local government. It’s not just Kisii – similar cases have cropped up, like in Nyamira County, where EACC nabbed four former officials for appointing 56 staff members without the green light or funding.
