File image of Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi
Kiambu Governor Paul Kimani Wamatangi has been arrested by detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
Wamatangi was arrested on Tuesday, April 15 morning after the EACC detectives raided his private residence and office.
According to EACC, the authority is investigating embezzlement of public funds and conflict of interest in Kiambu County.
Wamatangi and the nine other Kiambu County officials have been under investigation for their roles in the mismanagement of county funds.
The Kiambu Governor and the nine county officials were taken to EACC headquarters for grilling on their involvement in the embezzlement of the funds.
The arrests follow months of mounting pressure from local political leaders demanding a thorough investigation into the administration of Governor Wamatangi.
In February 2024, Kiambu Senator Karungo Wa Thang’wa raised red flags over an unexplained switch in the county’s payroll system from an automated system to a manual one.
Thang’wa claimed that the transition created an opportunity for fraud, with an estimated Sh390 million stolen through the inclusion of ghost workers on the payroll.
“The reversion to a manual payroll system, under the guise of technical issues, has created the perfect environment for theft. Suspected ghost workers have received over Sh390 million in fraudulent payments,” Senator Thang’wa said.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah also called for the arrest and investigation of Wamatangi over discrepancies in the county’s expenditure.
“I want the DCI and EACC to read the auditor general’s report and investigate what happened. Whether you are an MCA or a governor, your days are numbered and in Kimabu County, the days have finally come. Let EACC, and DCI take the report, do investigations, and arrest people,” Ichung’wah said in April 2024.
Also Read: EACC Launches Investigations Against Chief Magistrate Over Bribery Allegations
