Exposed; EACC Probes Coast Water Works Development Agency Boss Simon Charo Menza Over Fraud, Bribery

It is now official that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and Human Resource Management Kenya have jointly been invited and challenged to probe the conduct of the Human Resource Head at the Coast Water Works Development Agency.

The Commission for Human Rights and Justice (CHRJ) has written a complaint letter dated 21st January 2025, which was received on 22nd January 2025, concerning the dealings and conduct of the Coast Water Works Development Agency (CWWDA) Human Resource Manager, Simon Charo Menza.

The lobby group wants the two bodies to probe the said official for allegedly “soliciting and receiving bribes from members of the public to influence tenders.”

“He allegedly received a sum of Kshs 500,000 from John Abura Oucho to influence an award of a tender for repairs and painting of a resource centre,” the commission states through its advocates in part of the letter seen by Kenya Insights.

The said John Abura Oucho instituted a suit in Mombasa SCCC No. E512 of 2023 against the water agency.

The complaint also stated that on 5th January 2024, CWWDA carried out an advertisement in a local daily to recruit and fill vacancies. The process is alleged to have been marred by corruption and irregularities.

“There were massive irregularities, misconduct, and other reports of malpractices regarding the manner in which the recruitment process was conducted, including open bribery, soliciting for bribes and funds, corruption, influence peddling, tribalism, nepotism, and other malpractices spearheaded by one Simon Charo Menza,” it was noted.

According to the commission, Charo was the secretary of the board during the recruitment process.

Applicants allegedly had to part with money ranging from Kshs 300,000 to Ksh 1 million to secure their jobs.

According to the suit, six interested parties, among them Charo, were literally handpicked into their positions, whereas other eligible employees of the water agency were denied a chance to be appointed to these positions.

The position of Martin Tsuma, who is also serving in an acting capacity, has also been put in the spotlight, considering he has served in the same capacity beyond the regulated time.

According to insiders, Tsuma is currently pushing for some tenders to be awarded so that he gets his chunk of percentages from the contractors.