Records destroyed as fire burns Kitui County finance offices

Valuable records and equipment worth millions of shillings have been destroyed after a fire broke out at the Kitui County’s Finance department.

The fire, whose cause is yet to be established, broke out Monday at 2am and razed a block of county offices which houses the budget and economic planning departments.

The office complex had its furniture, computers and cabinets holding county records reduced to ashes.

DAMAGE

According to a statement released by Deputy Governor Wathe Nzau, also affected is the records office but county officials and police are yet to establish the full extent of the damage.

Dr Nzau urged police to conduct speedy investigations into the cause of the fire and appealed for calm from staff and Kitui residents.

“We urge our staff and all the citizens of Kitui to remain calm and not to speculate as the investigating agencies get to the bottom of the incident,” he said.

GUARDED

The offices, which are situated a few meters from the county commissioner’s office, are guarded round the clock by Administration Police officers.

Early this year, thieves broke into the same Finance department and stole payment vouchers and other documents and no arrests have been made so far.

In February 2018, another night fire burnt a three-storey office complex housing eight county departments.

A senior county officer was later arrested and arraigned alongside two night guards after months of investigations.