The Governor of Elgeyo Marakwet County, Wesley Rotich, is now at the center of investigations after serious concerns were raised about irregular spending and questionable staffing decisions within the county government.
The Senate Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations is preparing to launch a full probe into the matter following a formal request from area Senator William Kisang.
Appearing before the Senate committee on Tuesday, July 22, Senator Kisang laid out a string of accusations against the governor’s administration.
He questioned the transparency and legality of hiring practices, staff promotions, and payroll operations handled by the Elgeyo Marakwet County Public Service Board.
Kisang was particularly alarmed by frequent, unexplained switches between permanent and contract job terms, especially involving high-ranking officials.
He pointed out cases where individuals, after serving as County Executive Committee Members (CECs) or Chief Officers (COs), somehow returned to their previous posts without clear legal basis or public explanation.
The Senator further demanded answers about why certain staff had been promoted while skipping job group levels and bypassing standard procedures like interviews and merit-based evaluations.
In what he described as a blatant misuse of public resources, Kisang revealed that the county paid Ksh11.3 million in special house allowances to 156 employees without proper authorization.
Additionally, Ksh3 million was paid as a “special salary” to 25 staff members over the course of a year, despite the fact that such payments are prohibited under public service rules.
Kisang also turned the spotlight on delayed and inconsistent salary payments to county workers over three consecutive financial years—2022/2023, 2023/2024, and the ongoing 2024/2025 period.
He called on the Senate committee to get to the root of these delays and determine whether the county government has taken any corrective action to address the problem.
Another red flag raised involved 11 county employees who have remained on probation for periods longer than allowed under Kenyan labor law.
Kisang also questioned why more than seven senior county officials—who are well past the retirement age of 60—are still actively listed on the payroll, in direct violation of public service regulations.
The committee is now expected to summon Governor Rotich for questioning so he can respond to the wide range of allegations.
This move is seen as part of a broader effort by the Senate to promote accountability and clamp down on financial mismanagement and corruption in county governments across the country.
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