Muthurwa traders raise corruption allegations against county officials
Traders have raised serious allegations against Lillian, accusing her of arrogance, intimidation, high-handed conduct, and issuing threats. They claim she has been soliciting bribes by demanding that traders pay market fees directly to her instead of remitting them through official county revenue channels. As a result of these alleged corrupt practices, the county has reportedly suffered significant revenue losses from the market.
According to the traders, it is estimated that Lillian illegally collects approximately KSh 7,000 daily from traders who hand over cash directly rather than paying the county. The situation has also caused dissatisfaction among officers working under her, who allege that they are required to remit a fixed amount of money to Lillian every evening.
Lillian is further alleged to claim that the money collected is shared with senior county officials, including the County Secretary, the CECM in charge of markets, the Chief Officer, and the Governor’s office. She reportedly argues that her obligation to remit money to these offices explains the market’s occasional low revenue collection and failure to meet set targets.
In light of these allegations, Governor Sakaja has been urged to institute an immediate investigation into the matter and to transfer Lillian without delay, to enable the market to operate transparently and contribute effectively to the county’s revenue