Fearless Kisii Residents in Court for Defending Public Funds from Insatiable Greed of Woman MP Dorice Donya
Kisii MCA Gaudencia Omariba was among 17 persons arraigned at Kisii Law Courts on Wednesday over allegations of malicious damage to property during protests at the Kisii office of Woman Representative Dorice Donya Aburi.
The group, which included two high school students on holiday and a visually impaired man, was charged with wilfully damaging property worth Ksh 200,000 at Daraja Moja in Kisii town on November 19, 2024.
The suspects, who denied the charges before Resident Magistrate Wahinya Kugwa, were granted bail terms of Ksh 10,000 cash or a bond of Ksh 150,000 with a similar surety, with the case set for mention on December 4, 2024.
This court appearance comes against the backdrop of growing unrest in Kisii County as residents demand accountability from Woman Representative Dorice Donya.
Tuesday’s protests were sparked by public outrage over the alleged embezzlement of Ksh 19.7 million from the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), where public funds were allegedly directed to ghost groups instead of legitimate community empowerment initiatives.
Some of the money was reportedly diverted to personal accounts, with allegations suggesting they were used to purchase high-end vehicles and luxury properties instead of supporting the intended beneficiaries such as women, youth and persons with disabilities.
Following the heated protests, the Kisii NGAAF patron seemingly panicked and fearful of further escalation, reached out to the County Police Commander, enlisting officers from a neighbouring county to secure her properties.
The police officers, reportedly from Rongo in Migori County, were swiftly deployed to Kisii, with the assistance of the Kisii County Commissioner and County Police Commander.
This swift action to call in external police forces appears to have been driven by concerns that the protesters, having voiced their outrage over the alleged embezzlement, might begin targeting properties suspected to have been funded with misappropriated National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) money.
These properties have been at the centre of allegations of corruption, with the public demanding to know where their taxpayer money went.
One property in particular has been making headlines amid the ongoing investigations. Located in the upscale Rihanna Ward of Kisii County, this luxury mansion has drawn significant attention from the public and media. It is alleged that the mansion was built using funds misappropriated from the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), which was meant to benefit marginalized groups, including women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
One property in particular located in Riana Ward has been making headlines as residents wonder how a property that many elected officials with far more years in service haven’t come close to was constructed in just two years in office.
The questions become inevitable when you consider the wealth and time it typically takes for even long-serving governors or two-term senators to build such lavish homes,
How is it possible for a newly elected Woman Representative to amass such wealth when the vast majority of politicians, including fourth-term MPs still don’t reach such levels?
Where did the money come from so quickly?
There are whispers that her hands are not just tied to NGAAF funds but to a much broader network of looting involving politicians, contractors and other officials in Kisii County.
