A major shake-up has hit the Kisii County Assembly after the arrest of Deputy Clerk Daniel Mbaka Omwoyo and former Speaker David Ondimu Kombo over an illegal recruitment scandal.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) confirmed the arrest of the two top officials following investigations into the irregular hiring of Everline Maraburi, who is Omwoyo’s niece.

She was appointed as a Clerical Officer and later assigned to serve as the Speaker’s Personal Assistant (PA) on permanent and pensionable terms — a clear violation of public service hiring protocols.

According to EACC, the recruitment bypassed the County Public Service Board and breached the Salaries and Remuneration Commission’s guidelines.

The Speaker is only allowed to hire a PA on a contract basis, not permanently. Investigators revealed that Mr. Kombo abused his authority by facilitating the appointment, thereby unlawfully conferring a benefit.

Omwoyo was arrested and charged at the Kisii Law Courts, where he pleaded not guilty to abuse of office. Magistrate Hon. Nyariki released him on a cash bail of Ksh 50,000 or a bond of Ksh 100,000 with a surety of a similar amount. The case will be mentioned on April 14, 2025.

Meanwhile, Kombo was apprehended in Kajiado County and transported to Kisii. He is expected to appear in court today to face similar abuse of office charges.

The arrests have sparked concern among Kisii residents and raised questions about transparency and integrity within the County Assembly.

EACC has pledged to continue pursuing public officials who flout ethical standards, reaffirming its commitment to accountability in public service.

This latest development adds to the growing list of corruption-related cases rocking county governments across the country.