Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja has called on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to widen its investigations into alleged corruption at the Nakuru County Government, arguing that the recent arrest of seven county officials is only "the tip of the iceberg" in what she described as entrenched procurement fraud and abuse of public resources.
Speaking on Monday, Karanja urged the anti-graft agency to pursue senior officials and conduct further investigations "without fear or favour," claiming that corruption, conflict of interest and procurement irregularities have crippled service delivery and denied residents the benefits of county resources.
"We need them to go deeper and do more investigations and pursue more arrests and ensure that they arrest the big fish because this corruption has led people suffering," she said.
Her remarks come days after the EACC announced the arrest of seven current and former senior Nakuru County officials together with a contractor over an alleged procurement scheme involving family-linked companies that secured county contracts worth more than Sh120 million.
According to the commission, investigations established that Lorna Karamuta Mubichi, an Economist II with the County Government of Nakuru, conducted business with her employer through companies owned by her husband, Kenneth Muriithi Ndubi, creating a conflict of interest contrary to public service ethics.
EACC said three companies linked to Ndubi—Denken Building & Construction Limited, Murinchamba Investments Limited and Windcom Solutions Limited—were awarded 29 county contracts between the 2020/2021 and 2024/2025 financial years, receiving payments amounting to Sh120,042,417.
Investigators further alleged that some of the money paid to the companies was deposited into joint bank accounts held by Mubichi and her husband before part of it was transferred to several senior county officials.
The commission completed its investigations and forwarded the file to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who approved charges including conflict of interest, money laundering, acquisition of proceeds of crime and corrupt procurement practices against nine suspects.
Karanja said the arrests should mark the beginning, not the end, of accountability efforts in the county.
"All what we are saying is that the seven officials that they've arrested is just the tip of the iceberg," she said.
The senator accused the county administration of presiding over stalled development projects, mounting pending bills and deteriorating public services, particularly in the health sector.
She cited reports of hundreds of stalled projects and rising pending bills, arguing that despite receiving substantial public funding, residents continue to face poor roads, inadequate medical supplies, water shortages and underfunded schools.
"The Nakuru people have been crying for action. EACC, continue with your work without fear," Karanja said, expressing hope that the ongoing investigations would deliver accountability and help restore public confidence in the county government's management of public resources.