A major relief food scandal has erupted in Ugunja Subcounty, Siaya County, after 560 bags of government relief food meant for vulnerable residents allegedly disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
The consignment 300 bags of rice and 260 bags of beans, each weighing 50 kilograms had reportedly been released by the State Department for Special Programmes for distribution to needy families in the subcounty.
However, the whereabouts of the food supplies remain unknown, and the identities of the intended beneficiaries have not been established.
DCC Left in the Dark
The food had been requested by James Aluodo, the Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) for Ugunja, to support vulnerable households facing hardship. But in a puzzling twist, Aluodo says he never received the official communication confirming the allocation.
Instead, the DCC only learned that the food had been released after seeing a letter copied to Moses Otieno, the Member of Parliament for Ugunja Constituency.
According to Aluodo, he has had to rely on the MP’s copy of the letter because his office never received the original correspondence from the State Department.
Even more concerning, the relief food was never delivered to the DCC’s office, which is the standard receiving point for such government consignments.
Chiefs Allegedly Received Food Secretly
Sources indicate that the consignment was instead secretly received at an undisclosed location by Winfred Otieno Anyiko, the Chief of East Uholo Location, and Nkuito Kelesi, the Assistant County Commissioner for Sigomere.
The two officials allegedly received the supplies without informing the DCC and proceeded to distribute or possibly divert the food under the direction of Nicholas Oture, who claims to work at the Office of the President and is reportedly seconded to the State Department for Special Programmes.
The role played by Oture has raised serious questions, as he is said to have issued instructions regarding the food despite holding no formal authority within the subcounty administration structure.
Anyiko confirmed that he provided a store for the relief food but declined to comment further on the matter.
“If you want more information come to the office I’m being shaved right now at a barbershop,” he said on phone.
In further attempt to get more information, he failed to pick calls or respond to text message sent to him.
On his part, Nkuito said he will call later on the matter which went in vain. He also failed to respond to text messages over the allegations.
When contacted, Oture said he was on the road and will call back over the matter but never did. A text message sent to him over the allegations was never answered.
Lawrence Mwania, In charge Relief Food Distribution Special Progammes, confirmed that food was released to Ugunja Subcounty for distribution. “Its the DCC who should avail the report of the food released.
In case of anything, he has security team who should investigate and held culprits to account,” Mwania said on phone.
MP Also Kept in the Dark
Ugunja MP Moses Otieno has also reportedly expressed concern, saying his office was never involved in identifying beneficiaries or overseeing the distribution, despite the letter indicating that relief food had been allocated for the constituency.
As a result, neither the MP nor the DCC can account for who received the food or where it was taken.
Alleged Bribe Attempt
When DCC James Aluodo confronted Nicholas Oture about the missing food, the situation allegedly took a dramatic turn. Aluodo claims that Oture attempted to bribe him with KSh 5,000 sent through his mobile phone in an apparent effort to silence him.
Aluodo says he rejected the bribe and reported the matter to investigators. “The smear campaign in social media by the syndicate is in the hope of getting the DCC transferred so that they can escape accountability,” Aluodo said.
He added that powerful cartels embedded within government offices were involved in the scheme.
Investigation Launched
The case has now been referred to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for further investigation.
The investigators are expected to examine how the relief food was released, who authorized its collection outside official procedures, and whether the supplies were diverted for personal or political gain.
Political and Administrative Links Surface
Sources also allege that Nicholas Oture maintains close ties with a senior regional administrator in the region, whom he reportedly visits frequently at her home in Muhoroni Sub-county, Kisumu County.
Growing Questions
The scandal has raised serious questions about transparency and accountability in the distribution of government relief food, particularly when such assistance is intended for vulnerable communities.
Locals have have demanded explanantion on the whereabouts of the the 560 bags of rice and beans. They also want to know who authorized their collection outside the DCC’s office, who were the intended beneficiaries and was the food diverted for private or political interests?
Residents and leaders in Ugunja Subcounty are demanding full accountability and the recovery of the missing relief food, insisting that those responsible for the alleged diversion be brought to justice as investigations continue.
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