In a major crackdown on county-level corruption, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has hauled six suspects before a Kisii court over the irregular award of a staggering KES 348 million tender for the construction of the Homa Bay County Assembly offices. The Tuesday, January 20, 2026, arraignment marks a critical step in a high-profile case that lays bare allegations of deep-rooted graft threatening devolved governance.
The suspects, arrested earlier on January 16, represent a cross-section of county officials and private contractors. They include Faith Adhiambo Apuko, the former Clerk of the Homa Bay County Assembly; Roseline Anyango Odhiambo, former County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Lands in Homa Bay County Government; and Patrick Tonui, a former Quantity Surveyor at the Ministry of Public Works who served as the Project Manager. Also facing charges are James Mumali Oyukah and Mary Pauline Oduor, both Directors of the beneficiary company, Hartland Enterprises Limited.
The charges revolve around the alleged manipulation and irregular award of Tender No. HBCA/T/W6/2018-2019, valued at KES 348,927,840, to Hartland Enterprises Limited during the 2019/2020 Financial Year. This tender, meant for the construction of a crucial county assembly office block, has become a symbol of the procurement scandals critics say plague public projects, leading to inflated costs and shoddy or stalled work.
Appearing before Kisii Chief Magistrate Hon. A. M. Obura, all six accused persons entered pleas of not guilty to the charges leveled against them. In a decision underscoring the severity of the allegations, the court set stringent bail terms. Each suspect was granted a cash bail of KES 5 million or, as an alternative, a bond of KES 30 million with a surety of a similar amount. These substantial financial conditions are intended to ensure the accused attend subsequent court hearings without fail.
The case has been listed for mention on February 2, 2026, where further directions are expected to be given, potentially setting a timeline for the hearing of the case. The EACC’s pursuit of this case signals its continued focus on grand corruption within county governments, an issue that has diverted billions meant for development and service delivery.
Analysts note that this scandal is not an isolated incident but part of a worrying pattern of procurement malfeasance at the county level. The involvement of both a former County Assembly Clerk and a former CEC hints at possible collusion between different arms of the county government and private entities. Such collusion, if proven, severely undermines the checks and balances designed to protect public resources.
For the residents of Homa Bay County, this case raises pressing questions about the status of the multimillion-shilling project at its heart. Allegations of irregular award often correlate with project delays, cost overruns, or substandard construction, leaving taxpayers with little to show for their money. The ongoing court process will be closely watched as a litmus test for accountability in the devolution era.
The EACC’s action has been met with cautious optimism by anti-corruption advocates, who view it as a necessary step in cleaning up county procurement. However, they emphasize that a successful prosecution is crucial to delivering justice and deterring future misuse of office. As the legal wheels begin to turn, all eyes will remain on the Kisii Law Courts, awaiting a precedent-setting outcome in Kenya’s fight against corruption.
