The Director of public prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji has promised to go after the outgoing county government officials who have looted money from public coffers.
Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of Garissa Governor Nathif Jama at Garissa primary school grounds on Thursday, Haji said that just because some officials are leaving office, they cannot be allowed to get away with theft and mismanagement of public money and resources.
Haji singled out Garissa County where he hails from, noting that millions of public money cannot be accounted for and those involved in the mismanagement of public resources must be held accountable even if they are out of office.
“Those who have stolen resources from the people of Garissa must return the money. That money is a right, entitled to the people of Garissa so that they can get services. If the governor will not go after them, I will,” Haji said.
“I want to give you notice, after the audit which will be done, all those who will be named to have stolen from the people should come out and start returning the money. If they don’t, we will go for them through the law,” he added.
The DPP further alleged that millions of money from statutory deductions have not been remitted to the relevant bodies, leaving employees at risk, especially where they need to use NHIF to get medical services.
“It is not possible that over Sh4 million for the Garissa county government employees has not been remitted to Kenya Revenue Authority, National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and even National Social Security Fund (NSSF). We will not accept that,” he warned.
“Our money must be returned and this has nothing to do with clans. That money belongs to all clans that have been stolen,” he noted.
Haji, said that even the national government officials involved in corruption and loss of public money, who will be leaving office as president Uhuru Kenyatta completes his term will not be spared either.
He urged the incoming governors from across the country to make sure that they serve the people and impact a positive change in the livelihood of their people within the next five years.
