The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested seven current and former senior officials of the Nakuru County Government together with a contractor over an alleged conflict of interest and procurement fraud involving county contracts worth more than KSh120 million.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the anti-graft agency said the arrests followed investigations into allegations that Lorna Karamuta Mubichi, an Economist II with the County Government of Nakuru, used companies associated with her husband to secure lucrative county tenders while she was serving in public office.
According to the Commission, three companies linked to the scheme were awarded 29 contracts between the 2020/2021 and 2024/2025 financial years, receiving cumulative payments amounting to KSh120,042,417.
Investigators allege that the companies were owned and controlled by Mubichi’s husband, Kenneth Muriithi Ndubi, either solely or jointly with his brother, Brian Mwenda Ndubi. The Commission further claims that the firms relied on falsified documents to obtain some of the tenders and that a portion of the contract proceeds was transferred into joint bank accounts held by Mubichi and her husband. Investigators also traced some of the payments to several senior county officials.
“The Commission found that Ms. Mubichi’s private financial interests in the companies owned by her husband were in direct conflict with her official duties as an employee of the County Government of Nakuru, contrary to the principles of integrity and accountability expected of public officers,” the EACC said.
Following completion of investigations, the Commission forwarded the inquiry file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who approved the prosecution of nine suspects on charges including conflict of interest, money laundering, acquisition of proceeds of crime, engaging in corrupt procurement practices and wilful failure to comply with procurement laws.
Those arrested include Mubichi, her husband Kenneth Muriithi Ndubi, Nakuru County Chief Officer for Medical Services Daniel Ndung’u Wainaina, Chief Officer for Roads and Infrastructure Kennedy Mungai Barasa, Chief Officer for Water Timothy Kiogora Muriithi, Nakuru City Manager Peter Gitau Thabanja, and Solomon Sirma, the County Executive Committee Member for Finance in Baringo County and a former Chief Officer for Health in Nakuru County.
The suspects are expected to be arraigned before the Nakuru Law Courts on July 31, 2026.
The Commission also directed two additional suspects believed to have gone into hiding to report immediately to its South Rift Regional Office in Nakuru or the nearest EACC office. They are Brian Mwenda Ndubi, a director of Windcom Solutions Limited, and Josphat Kimemia, the Chief Officer for Youth Affairs and Sports.
Reaffirming its commitment to tackling corruption, the Commission said it would continue pursuing accountability for economic crimes involving public resources.
“The Commission remains committed to safeguarding public resources and ensuring that all persons involved in corruption and economic crime are held accountable,” the statement read.
The EACC further urged State organs and public entities to fully implement the Conflict of Interest Act, 2025, saying robust systems for declaring, managing and preventing conflicts of interest are critical to promoting integrity and accountability in public service.
