Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok is once again entangled in a corruption storm after the Senate unearthed massive irregularities in the county’s financial records, prompting renewed calls for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to open a deeper probe.
Senators said the findings revealed widespread manipulation of procurement processes, suspicious payments, and a ballooning wage bill, painting a picture of a county administration marred by financial mismanagement.
The Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) told the governor that its review of Bomet’s accounts uncovered a string of irregularly awarded tenders and questionable variations in contracts, resulting in pending bills amounting to Sh1.21 billion.
Some projects were reportedly paid for without documentation such as contract numbers, tender award dates, or proof of work done. Others, senators noted, appeared to exist only on paper.
The audit revelations come just weeks after Governor Barchok was arraigned before a Nairobi anti-corruption court to face charges related to conflict of interest, money laundering, and acquisition of proceeds of crime tied to tenders awarded to Chemasus Construction Limited.
Appearing before the Senate committee on Tuesday, the governor struggled to justify the county’s payment of Sh539 million to settle pending bills lacking proper records.
Committee chairperson Moses Kajwang’ said the county’s procurement unit had turned into “a crime scene,” accusing some officials of raising fake invoices to siphon funds.
“Could there be people lodging false claims to steal from Bomet residents? It appears the person who prepared the financial statement is working in collusion with rogue claimants,” said Kajwang’.
Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei also took issue with missing contract dates and LPOs, asking, “Where will these documents come from, unless you intend to cook them?”
Governor Barchok defended his administration, claiming that some pending bills were still being verified. “I think some entries were made to portray us negatively before the people of Bomet,” he said.
Kajwang’ dismissed the explanation, insisting that nearly half of the pending bills lacked any evidence of actual work done. “You are defending the indefensible,” he retorted.
Senators pressed Barchok to disclose the total amount owed to contractors and suppliers, but he could not provide a definitive figure.
“It is clear you don’t know how much the county owes entities or individuals,” Kitui Senator Enock Wambua said.
The governor eventually conceded that his administration had failed to maintain a complete record of verified claims, admitting, “Yes, we have disciplined some officers over fictitious claims.”
Kajwang’ said the county’s financial statement could not be relied on to reflect its true debt position.
“You may complain that EACC is camping in Bomet, but it is because of such procurement irregularities. There is clear monkey business with most of the contracts pegged just below the Sh5 million threshold,” he stated, urging the anti-graft agency to expand its investigations.
The committee also criticised Bomet for failing to boost revenue despite hiring a new private firm to manage collections. Instead, the county’s receipts fell by Sh6 million in the year ending June 30, 2024.
The senators further faulted the administration for allowing the wage bill to jump by Sh600 million — pushing it to 50 per cent of total revenue — well above the legal ceiling.
CPAC recommended that former Receiver of Revenue David Bunei and former Chief Accountant Zephaniah Lang’at be declared unfit to hold public office over their role in the county’s financial mess.
The senators warned that Bomet’s continued disregard for fiscal discipline would only hurt service delivery. “Bomet must clean up its systems. Failure to do so will deny residents the development they deserve,” Kajwang’ concluded.
