Bungoma MCAs have been summoned by the Bungoma EACC detectives to give their side of the story over the alleged squandering of money meant to help curb the Covid 19 pandemic.
It is now being alleged that the MCAs received irregular allowances from the jerrycan scandal amounting to Ksh 2 million.
The money which was allegedly given as a donation from the World Health Organization(WHO) is said to have been shared among the MCAs to go slow on the scandal.
Twelve MCAs were on May 13, interrogated and the exercise is set to continue.
According to a Ford Kenya MCA who sort anonymity, the allowances came from the World Health Organization for the purpose of training and sensitizing the public on how to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We were duped to sign for the money knowing that it was the money meant to sensitize on Covid 19,”said the Ford Kenya MCA.
Bungoma county government officials adversely mentioned in the scandal have also been summoned by the EACC together with the six MCAs who did not take illegal allowances to explain what they know about the scandal.
The MCAs who refused to take the allowance are the members of the county assembly health committee who had vowed to investigate the issue and recommend for prosecution of the perpetrators.
The MCAs had asked Bungoma governor Wycliffe Wangamati to clear himself after admitting in one local vernacular station during an interview that indeed money had been misappropriated, by taking legal action against the county officials who had taken part in the embezzlement of funds
The County chief has hence asked the county assembly to cooperate and investigate the matter to the later.
The chairman of the health committee Makari said that there was enough evidence to show that Ksh 11.9 million had been taken from Webuye and Bungoma referral hospital illegally and misappropriated by senior county officials.
Wangamati had earlier on twisted the claims saying that the alleged purchase 600 20-litre jerrycans at Ksh 10,000 each was false peddled by his detractors to undermine his government and efforts.
The chairman of the health committee George Makari, who is the MCA Musikoma ward, vowed to investigate the scandal.
However, anti-riot police chased them away from the county assembly premises where they had planned to carry out their investigation.
County government officials who included Health CEC Antony Walela, his chief officer Patrick Wandela and Bungoma county referral hospital medical superintendent David Kunikina had been summoned before the committee.
Others adversely mentioned include the director for special programs Caro Buyela and the acting chief officer for finance.
