The anti-graft agency is investigating the alleged illegal extension of the tenure of office of a top county official at Narok County.
This comes days after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) ranked Narok County as top of the list for bribery demands.
The commission said it is investigating the alleged irregular extension of the term of office of Zipporah Sintoya Gad, whose non-renewable six-year term expired in August 2019.
This follows her assumption of office in August 2013 as the Secretary to the County Public Service Board.
EACC says Gad’s term is indicated in her appointment letter dated 8th August 2013, signed by Interim County Secretary Stella Langat on the same date.
“She is now serving her second term having assumed office in 2013 contrary to the law which limits the term of office for Members of County Public Service Boards, including Board Secretaries, to a single non-renewable term of six years,” the commission says in a report.
Efforts to get a comment from Gad and governor Patrick Ole Ntutu were futile.
Gad’s contract was irregularly extended by three months from August 8, 2019, to November 2019 by then County Secretary Elizabeth Loichoki.
The commission says the latest five-year extension effective from May 11, 2020, to August 7, 2026, is illegal.
Officials at EACC said depending on the outcome of investigations, “action may include recommendations to the DPP for the prosecution of any persons found culpable and/or recovery of any public funds irregularly earned by the Board Secretary.”
Section 58(1)(c) and (4)(a) of the County Governments Act 2012, provides that members of County Public Service Boards, including the Board Secretaries, shall hold office for a non-renewable period of 6 years.
The inquiry by EACC comes weeks after its report ranked Narok County as the most likely to be asked for a bribe in order to get services.
The survey found that service seekers paid the highest average bribe of Sh42,652 in Narok.
The County is also on EACC’s radar for allegations of procurement irregularities in the award of tender for revenue collection at Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
