Kericho officials face removal for squandering millions meant for Londiani accident victims
The Kericho County Assembly has approved an ad hoc committee report that recommends the removal of senior county government officials involved in the misappropriation of funds intended for Londiani accident victims.
The implicated officials for removal include County Secretary Wesley Bor, Health County Executive Committee Member (CECM) Brenda Bii, Leonard Ngetich (Finance and Economic Planning), and Alphonse Rotich (Chief Officer, Executive Office of the Governor).
The committee chair, Moses Rono, read the report during the assembly’s Friday session which lasted over five hours.
The County Secretary faces accusations of violating various legal provisions through forgery of minutes, approving fund withdrawals, and overseeing their misappropriation.
Health and Finance CECMs Brenda Bii and Leonard Ngetich are accused of failing to disclose information, lack of accountability, and overseeing fund withdrawals leading to misappropriation.
The Chief Officer in the Executive Office of the Governor faces charges of forgery, abuse of office, and violation of procurement rules.
A committee member and Kericho National Assembly majority leader, Philip Rono said that a patient treated at the casualty of Kericho County Referral Hospital for the Londiani accident was discharged with a bill of Sh 2,400. However, records show an inflated bill of Sh 132,200.
Similarly, another patient was discharged from the same hospital with a bill of Sh 6,050 and has records indicating a bill of Sh 15,650. The total hospital bills amounted to Sh 600,000 but were exaggerated to nearly Sh 4 million.
Out of the Sh 13.7 million raised on July 4, 2023, at Londiani stadium, only Sh 5.7 million reached the victims’ families. Each of the 53 families who lost their loved ones in the accident received Sh 90,000, while the injured were given Sh 60,000.
The Kericho County Referral Hospital and Londiani Sub-County Hospital received Sh 3.5 million.
Kericho Governor Erick Mutai had pledged during the fundraiser that the county government would cover the hospital and mortuary bills.
Additionally, Sh 2.9 million was paid to a tent company, Sh411,000 to another company for providing tents in a Kericho hotel, and Sh 100,000 for lunch, and Sh 423,000 for transport, refreshments, and printing. The county commissioner was allocated Sh 300,000 for fuel, lunch, and allowances for the team, as detailed in the document.
The Londiani accident, which took place at the Londiani junction market in July, claimed 52 lives, prompting a fundraiser led by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
VIDEO BY VITALIS KIMUTAI