Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado is set to lose assets worth Ksh428 million after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officially begins the auctioning process on June 23.

In 2024, Obado and the EACC struck a deal in which he surrendered several assets for the anti-graft body to drop cases on unexplained wealth against him, his children, and others.

The consent was recorded before High Court judge Esther Maina, where the EACC said they had settled the matter out of court and that it did not wish to pursue the two cases of Ksh1.9 billion and Ksh73 million involving unexplained wealth and proceeds of crime against Obado, his four children, businessman Jared Peter Oluoch Kwaga, and his firms.

“In that process, our and his lawyers met and they were able to agree in a process of negotiations where we agreed on the minimum amount we are to recover,” EACC CEO Abdi Ahmed Mohamoud revealed.

A section of the EACC headquarters, Integrity Centre in Nairobi County

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EACC

According to EACC, the auction process will officially begin on June 23, starting in Nairobi, then later extending to Kisumu and Migori, where more properties will be seized and auctioned.

The properties, believed to have been acquired through misappropriated public funds, will be auctioned, and the money returned to public projects.

Among the lush properties to be auctioned are luxurious residences in Nairobi, including a Ksh40 million Loresho Ridge house, a Ksh22 million apartment in Riara, two Greenspan maisonettes worth Ksh14.5 million, and an unfinished plot in Runda valued at Ksh50 million.

The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) and EACC are leading the efforts to seize these assets. Initially, EACC had sought to recover the entire Ksh1.9 billion, but a negotiated agreement led to the surrender of properties worth Ksh428 million.

Mohamud revealed that the recovered funds will be deposited into Kenya’s Consolidated Fund, supporting public services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure development.

The commission hopes that such high-profile seizures will deter other public officials from engaging in corruption.

However, the EACC CEO raised concerns that while Kenyans report cases of graft involving politicians, when the commission begins the process of arrest and asset recovery, the same Kenyans rush to the defence of the accused.

“The moment we investigate, the same public that wanted action begins to shield the politician,” Mohamoud said.

This is among the many cases the commission is handling as it seeks to alleviate cases of graft among high-profile leaders in the country.

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Chief Executive Officer Mr. Abdi A. Mohamud.

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EACC