By Ian Ngali
Ms. Juliana Ndunge Mutisya has recorded her statement over the illegal payments paid to members of the Machakos County Public Service Board.
Juliana, who is about to be appointed to serve the board as secretary, was quizzed for hours at the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission regional offices in Machakos. She was approved for appointment by the County Assembly of Machakos even as the oversight authority knew she had outstanding issues that made her unfit to occupy the office.
Investigators first reached out to Juliana through the County Secretary Dr. Muya Ndambuki but had to do it directly when they were informed that she had resigned from her position to comply with a requirement to qualify for the position of secretary. Other CPSB members were summoned through the office of the County Secretary.
She could not however escape the dragnet because records show that she, along with other members of the board earned illegal allowances by purporting to attend the Devolution Conference held in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County between August 15-19, 2023.
Juliana was irregularly transferred to the board as the Deputy Director Administration by Dr. Ndambuki effective June 27,2023. The same day, CPSB Chairman Mr. Albanas Mutisya, appointed her to act as Board Secretary for six months and ordered her to be paid an Acting Allowance at 20 percent of her substantive salary. She continued to act in that capacity for over 1 year until July 2024, when she quit to prepare to appear before the County Assembly Committee on Appointments for vetting.
Juliana has been placed at the centre of the investigation on the illegal allowances. A letter seen by The Anchor says..." The same was facilitated by the Ag Secretary, Juliana Ndunge Mutisya with full prior knowledge that there was no intention of attending the function except for the Head of Secretariat Mr. Paul Kivinda Muisyo who dutifully attended" The letter, dated July 7,2024 wanted action to recover the money from the officials.
Those alleged to have been paid are Mr. Albanas Mutisya( Kes 122,000), Ms. Mutisya(Kes 108,000), Head of Secretariat Mr. Muisyo (Kes 108,000) and Board Members Frankiln Makola, John Kimeu Kumbu and Ms. Marleen Misco Mwanika( Kes. 108,000) each. Mr. Makola first raised the matter and asked that the money sent to his account be recovered since he did not travel to the conference. It remains unrecovered to this day.
Our sources say the investigations are also targeting the Finance Chief Officer Mr. Bernard Kasanga and the Chief Officer- Office of the Governor Mr. Charles Mutinda- seeking to know the actions they took to recover the illegal allowances.
Those who pocketed the allowances admit they did not travel to the devolution conference but had used the money between August 13-21 2023, upon authorization by Mr. Mutinda. They claimed to have attended a ceremony to renew contracts for roughly 230 county staff who joined service during the Covid 19 pandemic. The staff are spread across the entire county and there is no way they would have congregated at a far corner of the county for renewal of contracts. EACC is also pursuing a cover-up plan that was hatched to deflect the investigations.
Mr. Mutinda allegedly wrote the letter they are clinging on on September 18,2023, long after the money was taken. It is believed that the alleged letter was aimed at stalling a recovery of the cash from the salaries of those involved.
The cover-up story is not helped by the fact that Mr. Mutinda reported to Office of The Governor on September 20,2023. Investigators want to find out how he wrote the letter days before he was appointed to his current office. When The Anchor contacted Mr. Mutinda, he could not recall the exact dates of the alleged letter and hos reporting but indicated he would be willing to clarify any action he may have taken over the matter.
The event is alleged to have taken place at Masinga Sky Lodge and there is no evidence that such an event took place. If it had happened, the county would also have paid allowances for secretariat staff, including drivers' allowances and fuel. Costs of the venue hire would also have been captured.
