GRAFT STINKING TO HIGH HEAVENS IN KILIFI COUNTY

Kilifi senator Stewart Madzayo has accused Governor Amason Kingi and his government of entertaining corruption and running the affairs of the county in a backstreet manner causing loss of millions of shillings meant for development.

Madzayo who is a former Industrial Court judge wants the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission headed by Mumo Matemu to investigate the allegations and take decisive action against Kilifi county officials who are allegedly mismanaging public funds with impunity.

“Corruption at Kilifi county government has reached levels that we can no longer keep quiet about. Every corner you look at, it is corruption. Citizens are complaining of lack of services yet a few individuals are scheming everyday on how to steal from them. This is unacceptable,” said Madzayo in a terse statement.

The senator wondered why top Kilifi county officials who have been implicated in corruption were yet to be charged in court in connection with the controversial purchase of governor’s official residence and the supply of second hand motor vehicles to the county government months after they were summoned to record statements.

Months back, Governor Kingi was summoned to EACC offices in Mombasa to be grilled in connection with the controversial purchase of the governor’s house in Kilifi town which was said to have cost a whopping Sh140 million, a figure real estate experts are disputing, saying there is no house in Kilifi that costs that much.

The EACC sleuths were also said to have been interested in establishing claims that the county government vehicles were bought second hand but supplied to the county at a cost of brand new ones. The supplier of the said vehicles, it is claimed, is a close relative to a top county official.

On top of this, it is further claimed that contractors were being single sourced for purposes of ensuring kickbacks are duly paid and the public service board headed by former Kenya Ports Authority MD James Mulewa was allegedly selling positions of employment to the highest bidder.

Madzayo says it is high time Kingi was forced to resign to save the county from mismanagement. He says the trend is worrying and almost everyone is complaining of bad governance.

“How can we continue like this if the majority are not seeing or experiencing the benefits of devolution? This cartel must be told enough is enough,” the senator retorted.