Kenya: Office Soundproofing, 'Presidential' Furniture - Siaya's Case Against Oduol

21 June 2023
Capital FM (Nairobi)
By Irene Mwangi

Nairobi — Evidence tabled before the Senate Adhoc Committee investigating the impeachment motion against Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol has alleged the embezzlement of Sh18 million of the taxpayer's monies.

During the opening remarks on the case against Oduol, Siaya County Assembly Counsel Willis Otieno outlined how the Deputy Governor used county funds to renovate his office for personal comfort.

"The county had spent Sh18 million of the taxpayer's monies for the personal comfort of an individual. We will demonstrate that the amount constitutes 20 percent of the county's bursary allocation," a charged Otieno told Senators.

The Senate Adhoc Committee was told Oduol used Sh1.1 million to procure a single "presidential" chair in disregard to procurement guidelines.

"The former DG has successfully served the people of Siaya with the same furniture without condemnation by public works department. The first thing he did was to intimidate and bully the procurement for his personal comfort," said Otieno.

Luxury office facelift

Further, Oduol is accused of spending Sh2 million to soundproof his office soon after he got into office.

"This will we demonstrate as an inceptive act he did immediately he got into office. We will demonstrate what Sh18 million could have done to the people of Siaya and the people of Kenya," Otieno stated.

"The county assembly never approved the commitment of the Sh18 million for personal comfort of an individual," Otieno explained.

Oduol is also accused of interfering with the procurement process of seed and fertilizers in contravention of the constitution and the Public Procurement Act.

Siaya County Assembly accused him of bullying and forcing procurement officers to change tender specifications by allowing all groups to bid.

The county had reserved the tender for marginalized and vulnerable groups which include youth, women and personal with disabilities, the County Assembly contended.

"The end result is that the procurement process collapsed as the officers who were being intimidated and harassed had to determinate that procurement contract," Otieno told the Senate.

"An officer had to start writing emails at 2am in the morning to his superiors on how he was being given pressure by the Deputy Governor," he added.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

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