Drama in Senate as Onyonka, EACC officials clash over Uasin Gishu-Finland scandal

There was drama in the Senate on Tuesday as Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) clashed over the Uasin Gishu-Finland scandal.

Trouble started when EACC Deputy CEO Abdi Mohamud appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare probing the Uasin Gishu Finland multi-billion scandal, and demanded Senator Onyonka to substantiate recent corruption allegations against the Commission and its officials.

Mohamud referred to incidences where the lawmaker publicly claimed that the anti-corruption body was inept and incapable of fighting corruption in the country.

EACC tabled a report of the alleged fraud by First Choice Recruitment & Consultancy Agency Limited where 7000 youths in Uasin Gishu County were conned through the Finland/Canada Student Overseas Program.

About 200 students are said to have been asked by the County Government to pay over Ksh.1 Million each for the program which failed to kick off, leading the parents of the students to lose the money.

The complainants who alleged the trustees for the program were public officers in the Governor’s office also petitioned the EACC to find out why some public officials such as the Ward Administrator Cosmas Kerich were still in office despite being accused of soliciting bribes. There were also claims that the company involved in the fraud was still operating.

The commission took up the matter and in November last year, it recommended seven people and one company to be charged by the DPP.

The DCI who were at the same time probing the incident also presented its suspects in Nakuru.

EACC later recommended for the case to be taken up by the DCI after the ODPP directed for the case by DCI in Nakuru to be withdrawn and all suspects to be charged together under the EACC file.

Following the confrontation, EACC calls on politicians to desist from insulting the Commission and its officials.