Wrangles in Kericho as deputy governor claims Ksh.8M meant for Londiani victims was embezzled

The Kericho County leadership has been rocked with wrangles amid allegations of misappropriation of the money raised last month to cushion families whose kin were involved in the Londiani road crash.

The county chief officers are up in arms, with one wing led by the deputy governor, Fred Kirui casting doubt at how the Ksh.13.6 million raised has been used.

Kirui has already filed a report with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kericho, calling for a probe into some Ksh.8 million he claims have been embezzled.  

“Ksh.8 million has been embezzled and the other amount is purported to have gone to tents, fuel and food. All that was not budgeted, we had planned money for the victims,” Kirui said on Monday as he led families to the DCI offices.

“On top of the funds that were misappropriated, we still have more that was undeclared.”

But the County Secretary Wesley Bor has denied the allegations and defended the estimates reached.

Documents signed by Bor and seen by Citizen Digital show that Kericho and Londiani hospitals received a total of Ksh.3.5 million, Ksh.2.9 million went into paying for tents and seats hired during the fundraiser, Ksh.423,000 went to transport, while bereaved families were given Ksh.90,000 each.

Families of those injured meanwhile received Ksh.60,000 each, bringing the total amount given to the families to Ksh.5.2 million, which has caused an uproar from the deputy governor.

Fifty-three people perished in the June 30 accident after the driver of a Kericho-bound truck lost control, running over pedestrians, business people and matatus which were parked by the Nakuru-Kericho highway.