Acting Kisumu City Manager Abala Wanga is facing mounting pressure over allegations of forged academic credentials and abuse of office, with a petition now seeking his prosecution. The issue gained further traction after controversial blogger Cyprian Is Nyakundi shared the allegations, amplifying public outrage and drawing attention to what many see as a long-running cover-up.
The governance oversight body Public Property Protector (Triple P) has called on the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to take swift legal action against Wanga and recover all public funds he allegedly earned illegally during his tenure.
The allegations, which have persisted for over five years, have eroded public trust in Kisumu County’s leadership, raising serious questions about the integrity of the county’s governance structures.
Following sustained pressure from stakeholders, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) retrieved Wanga’s case file from its Western Region office and transferred it to Integrity Centre in Nairobi.
Investigations were expedited under the leadership of Chairperson Bishop (Dr.) David Oginde and CEO Mohamud Abdi, concluding within three weeks. The findings were then forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for legal action.
However, despite this progress, Kisumu Governor Prof. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o has yet to take any action against Wanga, further fueling accusations of a cover-up and impunity.
Critics, including Nyakundi, have questioned how a county led by a distinguished scholar continues to accommodate an individual accused of falsifying his academic qualifications. Wanga has not only retained his position but has also been entrusted with oversight of multi-billion-shilling donor-funded projects and revenue collection across fourteen wards in Kisumu City.
The petitioners argue that allowing him to continue managing public resources despite the allegations undermines transparency, integrity, and financial accountability. They contend that such disregard for ethical governance sets a dangerous precedent where individuals who assume office through fraudulent means can operate with impunity.
Nyakundi has been at the forefront of exposing these concerns, repeatedly questioning why authorities have remained silent on a matter that directly affects the people of Kisumu.
Triple P has specifically urged DPP Renson Mulele Ingonga to fast-track Wanga’s prosecution and initiate proceedings to recover public funds allegedly obtained through deceit.
The group insists that failure to act on these allegations would send a message that corruption and fraud in public office are tolerable. The petition has been widely distributed to key oversight bodies, including the Controller of Budget Dr. Margaret Nyakang’o, Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Transparency International, the Commission on Administrative Justice, and the World Bank Kenya Office.
Residents of Kisumu, growing increasingly frustrated by what they perceive as a deliberate cover-up, have vowed to escalate their campaign until Wanga is removed from office and held accountable.
The controversy surrounding him goes beyond the petition challenging his academic credentials.
He has also faced criticism over inflammatory remarks regarding land ownership in Kisumu. On several occasions, he has clashed with landowners, even issuing direct threats in the presence of senior national leaders.
His assertion that individuals who fail to develop their properties should be compelled to sell them to “people who have money” has alarmed property owners and raised fears of coercion and abuse of office.
These remarks have been widely condemned as an overreach of his mandate, with critics arguing that they undermine private property rights and expose landowners to potential intimidation.
Cyprian Nyakundi has continued to highlight these issues, calling out what he describes as blatant impunity and disregard for the rule of law.
The ongoing controversy surrounding Wanga has deepened divisions in Kisumu, with many calling for urgent intervention to restore public confidence in the city’s leadership.
The pressure continues to build, and unless action is taken, the crisis may escalate further, putting Kisumu County at the center of yet another governance scandal.
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