Recent unexpected visit by the Director of Public Prosecutions to the headquarters of corruption- ridden Homa Bay county caused panic as top officials dramatically disappeared when news of Noordin Haji spread like a bushfire.
Haji’s move came after word emerged that senior officers at Ethics anad Anti-Corruption Commission had been compromised by county cartel and were sitting on files. Haji’s visit was a clear manifestation that the Homa Bay investigations are at an advanced stage and arrests are in the offing. Cartels have been using Governor Cyprian Awiti bad health to loot. Awiti, some have alleged, was poisoned by his deputy governor by sprinkling some substance on the microphone.
Those who vacated their offices with some absconding duties are notorious county secretary Isaiah Ogwe, Nicholas Koriko (finance and economic planning), Julius Polo (internal auditor), his daughter Crecensia Polo (acting CEO for transport and infrastructure) and the ever acting chief officer for finance since 2016 Noah Otieno.
There is also Daniel Owuor alias Lieta who is the head of accounts
Members of the public in their hundreds thronged the offices of the county commissioner in the lakeside town with each of them frantically trying to catch a glimpse of the dreaded anti-graft czar.
Haji’s convoy quickly drew attention and attracted a crowd of curious onlookers who were apprehensive of possible arrest of the notorious cartels who have operated like lords, with their mean faces posing fears into the minds of the ordinary wananchi for the last seven years.
Majority of cartels in the county have a background of India as former students while others were drawn by transitional authority from the defunct local authorities and have always bestrode the landscape of the public resources like colossus.
Upon learning of Haji’s impromptu visit, they scampered for safety leaving their offices in unattended with the looming danger written all over their faces as if they were gasping for the last bit of oxygen to save their lives.
This happened as the marauding crowd that was ready to lynch anybody on sight who had been suspected to have accumulated wealth overnight swelled into a sea of humanity almost causing fear to the security personal guarding Haji.
Haji and his team including his deputy Dorcas Oduor had visited Kisumu a day before where he ordered the persecution of police officer involved in the brutal murder of Baby Pendo.
Members of Bunge la Wananchi Homa Bay led by Otieno Gor and Michael Kojo petitioned the DPP over the massive corruption incidents which have seen taxpayers lose well over Sh30 billion.
Kojo pointed Arujo Animal Feeds, Gor Mahia Stadium, Homa Bay Stadium, Kigoto Maize Plant, Kadongo Gendia road, irregular employment, diversion of development funds and disbursement of the same through various companies for no work done.
Equally hundreds of millions of shillings have been received by the county as fuel levy funds for road maintenance but nothing is there to show for it including the Sh403 million which landed in the docket of the former chief officer of transport and infrastructure Chris Agong.
The former transport and infrastructure officer disappeared shortly before he exited the office towards the end of February when his term came to an end.