Kitui County Chief Officer Arrested Over Ksh17M Procurement Fraud

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission arrested a Kitui County chief officer and five contracting company directors over conflict of interest and procurement irregularities involving tenders worth Ksh17.48 million. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions approved charges against nine suspects, with authorities actively pursuing three individuals who went into hiding.

Arrests and Proposed Charges in the Ksh17.48 Million Tender Investigation

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission confirmed the arrests on Thursday, August 6, involving a Kitui County chief officer and five company directors. Investigators forwarded an inquiry file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which subsequently approved the prosecution of nine suspects.

The proposed charges span multiple offenses related to county procurement procedures.

Conflict of interest
Abuse of office
Money laundering
Acquisition of proceeds of crime
Engaging in corrupt procurement practices

Meanwhile, three additional suspects went into hiding, prompting direct instructions from anti-graft officials.

Proxy Companies and Financial Flows Linked to the Chief Officer

Investigators established that the public official allegedly traded with the county government through proxy companies while serving as both the chief officer and an Accounting and Authorised Expenditure (AIE) holder in the Departments of Irrigation, Agriculture, and Fisheries. Five companies secured contracts totaling Ksh17,484,484.49, with the county paying out more than Ksh14.1 million between the 2018/19 and 2024/25 financial years.

The probe uncovered close familial ties between the corporate leadership and the county official. Financial examinations also revealed direct monetary transfers between the official and individuals connected to the supplier firms.

Financial investigations also uncovered transactions linking the official directly to company directors.

Broader Anti-Graft Enforcement Across County Governments

The Kitui arrests unfold amid a wider enforcement push by anti-corruption authorities targeting public officers across multiple regional administrations, including Nairobi, Narok, and Nakuru. In a separate recent operation, the anti-graft agency arrested seven current and former senior Nakuru County officials alongside a contractor over a Ksh120 million procurement fraud investigation.

Kitui County Chief Officer Arrested Over Ksh17M Procurement Fraud — Photo: Kenyans.co.ke

That Nakuru inquiry examined 29 contracts valued at Ksh120,042,417 awarded between the 2020/21 and 2024/25 financial years. Investigators alleged that a county official facilitated contract awards to companies owned by a spouse using falsified documents, with proceeds later transferred to joint bank accounts.

Compliance Pressures and the Conflict of Interest Act

As prosecutions move forward in the Kitui Law Courts, the anti-graft agency continues to press public institutions to adopt stricter internal controls.

Kitui Chief Officer & 5 Others Arrested in Ksh17.5M Scandal – 3 Key Facts You Need to Know

The commission urged public entities to strengthen institutional compliance with the Conflict of Interest Act, 2025 by establishing effective mechanisms for declaring, managing, and preventing conflicts before contracts are finalized.