Kenyan official ordered to repay Sh10.9M for holding three jobs at once
A High Court judge has ordered Walter Odhiambo, the former Deputy Director of Health in Homa Bay County, to repay Sh10.9 million in unlawful earnings. The ruling follows a case brought by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), which accused Odhiambo of holding three government jobs at once for six years.
Justice Benjamin Musyoki found that Odhiambo could not have worked in both Kisumu and Homa Bay simultaneously while receiving salaries from both locations. The case marks the fifth time the judge has presided over a misconduct case involving Homa Bay County officials in recent years.
Between June 2016 and August 2021, Odhiambo was officially employed as a lecturer at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in Kisumu. At the same time, he held a part-time teaching role at Great Lakes University of Kisumu (GLUK) and remained on the payroll of Homa Bay County as Deputy Director of Health.
The EACC took legal action after uncovering the double employment scheme. Odhiambo initially filed a defence, arguing that his salaries were earned legitimately. However, he failed to appear in court to contest the allegations further. In his judgement, Justice Musyoki declared the county payments 'illegal and unlawful'. He criticised Homa Bay County for not noticing Odhiambo's unexplained absence from his duties for six years. The court ordered the full repayment of Sh10.9 million, covering the entire period of the irregular payments. This ruling adds to a series of similar cases involving Homa Bay County officials. Justice Musyoki has now handled five such matters, raising concerns about oversight and accountability within the county government.
Odhiambo must now refund the full amount of Sh10.9 million to Homa Bay County. The judgement also highlights ongoing issues with financial oversight in the region. The EACC's case against him is part of a broader effort to address corruption and misconduct in public office.
