Fresh outrage has erupted in Nyamira County after explosive allegations that a nominated Member of the County Assembly (MCA) is residing and working full-time in the United States while continuing to draw a monthly salary and allowances from Kenyan taxpayers.
Hon. Ednah Moraa Obara, a special elected/nominated MCA in the Nyamira County Assembly and Vice Chairperson of the Committee on Implementation, is at the centre of the storm. According to widely circulating claims on social media, Obara allegedly faked a serious illness to obtain medical treatment leave, relocated to the US, secured American citizenship and Social Security benefits, and now works at Dold Foods LLC in Wichita, Kansas– all while the Nyamira County Assembly continues paying her Kenyan salary and perks.
The allegations, which have gone viral on Facebook and X, claim she is “eating taxpayers’ money” from Kenya while living comfortably abroad. One widely shared post explicitly names her and her alleged handle, stating she faked a disease, obtained treatment leave in the US, gained citizenship, and is now employed in America even as Nyamira foots the bill for her allowances.
Public records confirm that Hon. Obara Ednah Moraa serves as a nominated MCA in the Nyamira County Assembly’s third assembly. She is officially listed on the assembly’s website as MCA-Special Elect and holds the position of Vice Chairperson of the Implementation Committee. Nyamira has been no stranger to political drama, with Obara previously caught up in leadership wrangles, party expulsions, and reinstatement battles involving multiple MCAs accused of skipping sessions.
If the claims are true, Obara’s situation raises grave concerns about absentee leadership, conflict of interest, and potential abuse of public office. Kenyan law requires public officers to perform their duties diligently, and drawing dual salaries – one from a US employer and another from county coffers – would constitute a blatant case of “ghost working” at the expense of ordinary Nyamira residents.
Key questions now swirling include:
– Did the Nyamira County Assembly approve genuine medical leave, or was a fictitious illness used to facilitate her move abroad?
– Is the assembly aware that one of its nominated members is reportedly based thousands of miles away in Kansas?
– How effective are oversight mechanisms in county assemblies when leaders can allegedly serve remotely while collecting full pay and allowances?
Nominated MCAs are meant to represent special interests and vulnerable groups in the county. Critics argue that living and working permanently in another country undermines that very mandate and amounts to a betrayal of the people she was appointed to serve.
The revelations have triggered sharp criticism from Kenyans fed up with leaders who treat elected or nominated positions as personal cash cows. Many see this as yet another symptom of deeper problems in devolved governance: weak attendance monitoring, tolerance for absenteeism, and lack of transparency in how public funds are used.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and other oversight bodies may be forced to step in should concrete evidence emerge. Double employment and drawing salary while allegedly faking medical grounds for absence would, if proven, violate multiple provisions governing public officers.
As of now, neither the Nyamira County Assembly nor Hon. Ednah Obara has issued a detailed public response addressing the specific claims of US residency, employment at Dold Foods LLC, or citizenship status.
This developing story has put the spotlight once again on Nyamira’s turbulent county politics. Residents and taxpayers deserve clear answers: Is their nominated MCA truly representing them from Wichita, Kansas, while cashing cheques funded by hard-earned Kenyan taxes?
Public accountability demands transparency. County assemblies must do better at verifying presence and performance of their members – elected or nominated.
