Kisumu reports Kosgey to EACC over Sh4.89bn missing land debt

Kisumu officials are seeking the assistance of the anti-graft agency to probe how former Cabinet minister Henry Kosgey’s debt to the county of Sh4.89 billion was reduced to Sh83,000.

The Kisumu Land Task Force Committee secretary Nicholas Migot on Tuesday said they had written to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate the debt owed by Kaburwo Investments Limited, a firm associated with Mr Kosgey.

Mr Migot said the company owed the county Sh4.89 billion in land dues for huge tracts of land in Kibos.

“Papers in our possession reveal that there was a ministerial memo in February 2016 that waived the rates. However, no document is available to that effect. Furthermore, only a penalty can be wavered and not what is owed in land rates,” Mr Migot said. He said they want the EACC to probe how the Sh4.89 billion had been reduced to a meagre Sh83,074. County documents do not disclose details of the debt.

The official said that former Alego Usonga MP Peter Oloo Aringo also owes the county Sh447 million. “They have defaulted on land rates payments and the county is seeking to recover such parcels of land for development,” said Mr Migot.