Blackmail Politics: How MCAs Intimidate Governors to Control Tenders and Job Placements for Relatives

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has opened investigations into a surge of cases in which Members of County Assembly (MCAs) are accused of blackmailing governors and pushing for control of county tenders.

The Commission reported that some MCAs have resorted to threats of impeachment and even demanded the transfer of county officials who refuse to cooperate. Speaking in Kakamega during the opening of the Corruption Prevention Forum for County Executive Committee Members and Chief Officers, EACC Western Regional Director Eric Ngumbi warned that the practice is eroding accountability in devolved units.

“MCAs are increasingly demanding tenders for development projects in their wards, as well as the employment of their relatives. When demands by ward representatives are not met, the MCAs resort to blackmail and threaten County Executive officials with impeachment or other punitive measures. We are currently investigating several County Assemblies in the Western region, and arrests will soon follow,” Ngumbi said.

He cautioned that such conduct undermines oversight in devolved units.

“These practices compromise the ability of MCAs to effectively discharge their oversight responsibilities over the use of public funds, thereby exacerbating corruption at the county level,” he added.

Ngumbi further warned that ward representatives and county officials who conduct business with county governments risk violating the new Conflict of Interest Act, 2025, which President William Ruto signed into law last month.

“MCAs and county officials found culpable of engaging in such misconduct will be denied or barred from receiving clearance to run for elective office or assume public positions, in accordance with the new law,” he said.

The Commission is already investigating six MCAs suspected of awarding tenders worth Ksh144.20 million to 40 proxy companies.

“We are pursuing cases where ward representatives are suspected of siphoning public funds through companies registered under the names of family members and close associates,” Ngumbi said.

Senior Officials in Ksh1.4 Billion Tender Scandal

The probe has widened to include eight senior county officials accused of conflict of interest in fraudulent tenders valued at Ksh1.4 billion. According to the Commission, the tenders were awarded to 38 proxy companies linked to the officials.

“In some instances, MCAs demand the transfer of Executive officials who fail to ‘cooperate’ with them. This has significantly undermined the ability of County Assemblies to exercise their oversight function, further fuelling corruption in the counties,” Ngumbi said.

EACC also raised alarm that some counties are bypassing payment systems approved by the Controller of Budget and diverting the funds into fraudulent transactions. In several cases, money has been siphoned off through fictitious payments for services that were never delivered.

Ngumbi further flagged the failure of some devolved units to remit statutory deductions from employees’ salaries to relevant agencies. He also cited the abuse of bulk imprests, where individuals withdraw large amounts of cash using forged documents – often to benefit senior officials.

The post Blackmail Politics: How MCAs Intimidate Governors to Control Tenders and Job Placements for Relatives appeared first on Nairobi Wire.