Kwale county assembly speaker Seth Kamanza has been accused of making efforts to ensure that corruption scandals in the institution he leads are not reported by whistle blowers and the media.
This is after it emerged that he has threatened through the embassy of Saudi Arabia to repatriate Issa Mathenge, one of the Kwale residents, civil society member and a whistle blower at the center stage in reporting and exposing corruption facing the county assembly.
Mathenge who comes from Ukunda and a strong supporter of good governance has been sharing corruption exposé where millions of shillings are said to have been stolen through dubious tender process as reported by controller of budget unearthed by the media.
“So you people have threatened my brother Issah Mathenge with repatriation if he doesn’t stop exposing this rogue, incompetent and inept government? How can someone in Kwale write a letter to the embassy to have someone deported? Na nikiwaambia mko wajinga mnakasirika. Serikali ya Kwale iko na wajinga wengi sana,” said sheikh Ahmed Yusuf Abdullah.
After realizing that the anti-corruption commission spies were out to get the truth and arrest the speaker and county assembly clerk, Kamanza devised a way of threatening Mathenge to stop sharing corruption or else face the consequences.
This is a clear indication that the speaker and the clerk Fatuma Hassan Mwalupa are out to silence those seen speaking against corruption and sex scandals at the county.
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“They had a very high profile meeting in the county after the expose which caught them unaware and resorted to report to DCI but that will not stop us from ensuring that those misusing taxpayers money are exposed,” said one of the MCAs.
Kwale county assembly was recently on sport-light over misuse of public funds amounting to millions of shillings and allegations of sex scandal leveled on Fatuma Hasan Mwaluphamba and other county members.
Among the corruption scandals that are being investigated by EACC includes, construction of Kwale county building , purchase of ICT equipments tender number cak/1310242/2023-2025 for provision for repair and maintenance of computers, printers, ups, laptops, lcd projectors, servers, fax ups, photocopiers, air conditioners and other ICT equipment & accessories.
The tender process was shrouded in controversy and discrimination to more qualified suppliers who were seemingly ignored in favour of a friendly firm to the clerk and his allies at the assembly.