Billions of shillings disbursed through county empowerment funds remain unrecovered, with senators warning of political misuse and calling for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to intervene.
The Senate committee revealed that many of the loans were issued close to election periods, raising suspicions they may have been used to buy political goodwill rather than empower communities.
Committee chair Godfrey Osotsi told Kitui Governor Julius Malombe that funds could even have been channelled into campaigns. “What is becoming clear is that this money was being disbursed during election periods, and in some cases, it was probably used to campaign against you,” he said.
So far, four governors — Paul Otuoma (Busia), Benjamin Cheboi (Baringo), Malombe (Kitui), and Jeremiah Lomorukai (Turkana) — have appeared before the Senate to explain why billions remain unpaid.
Busia risks losing Sh130 million, Turkana Sh500 million, and Kitui Sh157 million, while Bungoma, Laikipia, Mombasa, and Meru also face significant recovery challenges.
Auditor General Nancy Gathungu flagged that many of the loans were unsecured, with counties failing to enforce recovery laws. Senators warned that continued default undermines the purpose of empowerment programmes, which were meant to uplift residents but have instead been weakened by political interference and poor oversight
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