The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has announced plans to auction prime properties worth Sh505 million that were linked to close allies of former Migori Governor Okoth Obado.
These properties, which include luxury mansions, commercial office blocks, and residential flats, were flagged after investigators concluded they had been acquired through corruption, money laundering, and misuse of public funds.
The move signals yet another effort by the agency to tighten its grip on assets accumulated through questionable means during Obado’s time in office.
One of the major assets set for auction is the Sunrise Center in Migori town, a well-known commercial hub that EACC documents claim was registered under the name of businessman Jared Kwaga, described as a close associate and proxy of Obado.
The commission’s investigations revealed that several other properties tied to this network are scattered across Nairobi, Kisumu, and Migori counties, forming part of what it described as a vast empire of wealth suspected to have been built using resources diverted from county coffers.
The findings showed that proxies and even family members were used to conceal the true ownership of these assets.
By spreading registration details across different names, investigators say the group intended to cover their tracks and distance Obado and his inner circle from the questionable acquisitions.
However, EACC’s pursuit of financial records and property documents laid bare the scale of corruption and the sophisticated methods used to hide the proceeds.
Kwaga and his associates are already facing charges of economic crimes, accused of siphoning millions from the Migori County government during the years Obado was in power.
The auction is therefore not only a recovery process but also part of the legal accountability measures the state is taking to punish those accused of looting public resources.
The commission said the move reflects its mandate to ensure that stolen wealth is returned to the people and that individuals who exploit public office for personal gain face the consequences.
EACC underscored its position by noting that the law requires all property obtained through corruption to be surrendered.
In its statement, the commission stressed that no individual is immune from accountability regardless of their political connections or past influence.
Over the past five years alone, the agency has recovered assets worth more than Sh28 billion from politicians, land grabbers, and officials accused of theft.
The latest move targeting Obado’s network adds to a series of high-profile recoveries meant to reassure Kenyans that the war on corruption is not selective.
The state aims to both recover stolen wealth and deter others from engaging in similar practices. For taxpayers in Migori and across the country, the auctions represent a chance to see justice served, especially in a political climate where impunity has often been the norm.
This auction also sends a strong warning to leaders who misuse their positions of power that public funds are not a personal inheritance. The decision to go after Obado’s allies and repossess their properties shows that accountability will eventually catch up with those who attempt to enrich themselves unlawfully. It reinforces the principle that leadership is a responsibility to serve, not an opportunity to loot, and that stolen wealth will ultimately be reclaimed for the benefit of the public.
