The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has summoned Garissa Governor Nathif Jama Adam over allegations of embezzlement of public funds and irregular recruitment of county staff.
In a letter dated August 19, 2025, the anti-graft agency directed the ODM Governor to present himself at the commission’s headquarters—Integrity Centre in Nairobi—on Monday, August 25, 2025, at 10:00 AM.
“The Commission is investigating allegations of embezzlement of public funds and irregular recruitment of employees by Garissa County Government from October 2022 to June 2024. To facilitate the investigation, kindly avail yourself for an interview and statement recording,” read part of the summons signed by Simon Cherpka, the Assistant Director in charge of Macro Investigation.
The Governor will be grilled on claims that millions of shillings meant for county projects were diverted, alongside alleged irregularities in hiring hundreds of staff during his tenure.
This development comes barely a week after EACC Chairperson David Oginde disclosed that nine governors are currently under investigation over corruption-related offenses.
“We are pursuing quite a number of governors; at the moment, nine governors are under scrutiny at different levels of their cases. That is a very high percentage given we have only 47 counties,” Oginde stated during an August 12 briefing.
He further noted that marginalized counties—such as those in arid and semi-arid regions—are the most affected by graft, with leaders accused of siphoning funds and investing them in Nairobi real estate instead of uplifting local livelihoods.
Governor Nathif Jama, who is serving his third term after being re-elected in 2022 on an ODM ticket, has in the past faced accusations of mismanagement during his first stint in office between 2013 and 2017.
The EACC’s move now puts Garissa County under the spotlight, with residents keenly watching whether the investigations will translate into prosecutions or fizzle out as has often been the case with high-profile graft cases.
Leave a Reply