Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong at a voter verification centre in Busia town. [Photo: Sospeter Ojaamong/ facebook.com]
Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong has told the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to execute its duties professionally and stop being used to settle political differences.
Ojaamong is among 12 governors whose names the Independent Electoral Boundary Commission (IEBC) has received from EACC over integrity issues.The IEBC has already written to other state agencies seeking for more information on the candidates.Addressing the press in his office on Monday, Ojaamong said before he was cleared to defend his seat, he duly got clearance letters from the Criminal Investigations Directorate headquarters and the EACC to confirm he had no pending integrity issues.“A day later the EACC released the list to the effect that they are still investigating those named in the perceived “list of shame”. The Commission is not sincere. The NASA government might be forced to remove such officers if it forms the next government,” said Ojaamong.“There is somebody who is pushing them (EACC) to portray most of us governors as corrupt. They started investigations on me three years ago. If they had any evidence they would have taken me to the Director of Public Prosecutions.”“They said I influenced the tendering process. Which governor sits on the tenders committee? The EACC also alleges that I lost Sh8 million to Madam Re. So far, there is no evidence adduced. The money was used for paying casual workers to clean towns. That is why I want EACC to do their work without being influenced,” he added.He also refuted claims that the budget for the Busia and Malaba towns street lights project was inflated.“We got value for the money considering the lights have been in use for three years without hitches compared to other counties,” he said.