West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo Arrested for Paying Absentee Deputy Governor Who Works in the US

Officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have arrested West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo.

Lonyangapuo was arrested on Tuesday and driven to the EACC offices in Eldoret where he was interrogated.

In a statement, the anti-graft watchdog said the Governor was arrested over allegations that West Pokot Deputy Governor Dr. Nicholas Atudonyang is earning a salary from the county illegally as he continues to work in a foreign country.

“EACC quizzes Governor of West Pokot County over allegations that his Deputy Governor, Dr. Nicholas Atudonyang has a full-time job in a foreign country and yet continues to be salaried by the County Government for no services rendered. Investigations on the same ongoing,” EACC said in a statement posted on its official Twitter handle.

Dr. Atudonyang, who works as a neurosurgeon in Texas, United States allegedly left immediately after he was sworn into office last year. The absentee Deputy Governor also doubles up as the County's Health Executive.

Four months ago, a section of leaders drawn from West Pokot held a press briefing demanding for immediate sacking of Dr. Atudonyang for abandoning the county to work in the US.

“He must relinquish the position if he can’t stay in Kenya and work for the Pokot. We have many challenges due to poor leadership .We have seen many referrals to Eldoret and shortage of drugs,” Ezekiel Pyegoh, chairman of the Independent Pokot Leaders Forum said.