When detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) raided the Nairobi home of a senior county official on June 4, 2026, they walked out with suitcases stuffed with cash — Ksh51.3 million in Kenyan shillings and US$113,000 (approximately Ksh14 million), bringing the total haul to over Ksh65.3 million.
The official, Patrick Analo Akivaga, serves as the Chief Officer for Urban Development and Planning at the Nairobi City County Government. EACC said the search was part of ongoing investigations into alleged corruption and economic crimes within the county government.
The dramatic recovery triggered a flood of questions from Kenyans on social media, with many demanding a share of the money — arguing that since it is public funds, it should be returned directly to the people.
The EACC has since moved to set the record straight.
“Recovered funds and assets are processed through the National Treasury and other relevant government mechanisms in line with the law, and are not held or used directly by EACC,” the commission stated.
According to the commission, recovered funds do not automatically become government property the moment they are seized. A legal process must first be completed, including court approval for formal forfeiture.
Once the courts order the assets transferred to the state, the money flows through two main channels. The first is the Consolidated Fund — the central government account managed by the National Treasury — where recovered cash becomes part of national revenue. Parliament then reallocates these funds through the national budget to support healthcare, education, infrastructure, and other public services.
The second channel is the Criminal Assets Recovery Fund (CARF), which handles assets recovered under proceeds-of-crime laws. This fund covers not just cash, but also land, vehicles, and buildings. The Assets Recovery Agency manages these assets, ensuring they are preserved, sold where necessary, and their value returned to the state.
“Once recovered, they are returned to public use through approved government procedures, including the Exchequer process,” EACC added.
The legal framework governing this process includes the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act (ACECA), the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act (POCAMLA), and the Constitution of Kenya.
The precedent is well established. In September 2024, EACC handed over assets worth Ksh5.5 billion to the government — including land valued at about Ksh5 billion and Ksh511.4 million in cash. Of the cash, Ksh361.4 million went to the Consolidated Fund, Ksh79.3 million to the Kenya Ports Authority, and Ksh70.7 million to the KEMRI Retirement Benefits Scheme.
The commission was emphatic that neither EACC nor the Assets Recovery Agency retains any of the funds. Their role ends at investigation, recovery, and handover — what happens next is governed strictly by law.
