EACC summons Meru Speaker, 11 MCAs in CEC jobs probe

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has summoned 12 members of the Meru assembly in a probe into the appointment of County Executive Committee members.

This comes days after Youth and Sports executive Daniel Kiogora resigned amid a court case questioning authenticity of the academic papers he presented for vetting.

Those who are to present themselves to the EACC office in Isiolo to record statements include Speaker Joseph Kaberia, Elias Murega (Municipality), Victor Karithi (Athwana), Ayub Bundi (Abothuguchi Central), Esther Karimi (nominated) and Paul Bagine (Ntima East).

The others are Lucy Makena (nominated), Jane Wambui (nominated), Gacheri Muthuri (nominated), Gervasio King’ori (Thangatha), Jackson Gitonga (Antuambui) and Japhet Kirimi (Athiru Ruujine).

A June 26 letter from the commission's regional boss Kipsang Sambai to the Speaker says all the 12 will be questioned on July 4 and 5.

Speaker Kaberia on Saturday confirmed receiving the letter and said, "I think it is related to the Youths executive."

SUIT

The summons came after former county employee Seth Mutugi sued Governor Kiraitu Murungi and the Youth executive, seeking to have him removed from office.

Mr Mutugi also sought to have the EACC investigate the authenticity of the academic documents that Mr Kiogora presented.

Following the suit before High Court’s judge Alfred Mabeya, the EACC, an interested party, said it would investigate the appointments.

Mr Mutugi, through lawyer Dickson Munene, argued the matter was urgent since Mr Kiogora was "illegally" earning a salary from public coffers.

UoN STATEMENT

The suit came after the University of Nairobi disowned Mr Kiogora's degree.

In a response to an inquiry by the Municipality MCA, UoN's Academic registrar EM Mbuva stated, “This is to inform you that the copies of the degree certificate and academic transcripts forwarded to us for Mr Daniel Kiogora M’Inoti for Bachelor of Commerce (Accounts) are not authentic and were not issued by the University of Nairobi.”

In a letter dated February 15, the institution added, “The name does not appear in the graduation booklet of December 3, 2010. This is a clear case of forgery.”

REPLACEMENT

The events led to Mr Kiogora's surprise resignation early in June, a move that was closely guarded by the Executive.

However, sources within the Executive said the Youth executive, who is former Abothuguchi West MCA, was forced to resign after the university disowned his papers.

According to section 35(3) (b) of the County Governments Act, a person may be appointed as a CEC member if he holds at least a first degree from a university recognised in Kenya.

Governor Murungi has since appointed Lands executive Jeremiah Lenya as the acting Youth and Sports executive.