The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has recovered Sh12m and USD 13,000 in cash from Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi’s home in a probe over alleged embezzlement and abuse of office.

The EACC said the investigation involves fraudulent procurement and fictitious payments amounting to Sh1.5 billion.

Among the key issues under scrutiny is a Sh230 million contract awarded to Filtronic International Limited for the supply and implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system during the 2022/2023 financial year.

The Commission has also flagged illicit transactions involving senior officials who allegedly engaged in direct business dealings with the county government, in violation of procurement laws. These deals, the EACC stated, were facilitated through fake procurement processes and nonexistent deliveries.

Wamatangi was earlier arrested for questioning alongside senior county officials and businesspeople suspected to be part of a corruption network embedded within the county administration. In total, residences and offices of nine offcialss were raided.

EACC Chief Executive Abdi Mohamud said the probe is focused on “allegations of conflict of interest, procurement irregularities, abuse of office, and illegal payments made for fictitious supplies and irregular tenders.”

Moments after the arrest on Tuesday, a crowd of agitated residents gathered outside his Thindigua residence in protest, chanting slogans and demanding transparency over the ongoing investigations.

The raid — which extended to the governor’s private residences in Thindigua and Nairobi, is part of an ongoing investigation into alleged procurement irregularities and questionable expenditure under Wamatangi’s administration.

Detectives seized documents and electronic devices, which are now undergoing forensic analysis.

Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi arrested, following a raid by EACC on his homes and offices over allegations of embezzlement; residents protesting outside his home

Video by Kimaku Chege pic.twitter.com/bpxSL7loZa

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“This is a comprehensive investigation into possible misappropriation of county resources,” confirmed EACC spokesperson. However, he declined to provide further details, citing the active nature of the investigation.

The probe is said to be focusing on alleged procurement fraud, shady deals, and conflicts of interest in the awarding of county tenders.

The operation also led to the arrest of nine top officials in Kiambu County, suspected of playing key roles in the irregular dealings.

Although the EACC has yet to disclose the total value of the suspected embezzlement, the arrests suggest the commission is closing in on a broader network of individuals implicated in the scandal.

The move comes as the EACC intensifies pressure on county governments, with sources indicating a strategy to build watertight cases ahead of potential prosecutions.