Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has claimed that a county government vehicle assigned to his deputy was being used at night to ferry women around Nyeri town.
Kahiga said he discovered the alleged misuse after spotting the vehicle while driving around the town late at night.
The governor said he was moving around Nyeri at about 11pm or midnight when he noticed the vehicle and decided to follow it.
“I spotted the vehicle and decided to follow it,” Kahiga said.
According to the governor, the vehicle stopped at a fast-food establishment where several women allegedly got in before being driven to different locations.
“I saw it stop and pick up several women before dropping them off at different locations,” he said.
Kahiga said he later contacted his Deputy Governor, David Kinaniri, to establish whether he was aware that the official vehicle was being used at night.
He claimed Kinaniri told him that he was not aware of the vehicle’s movements outside official duties.
“When I called my Deputy, he said he was not aware that the vehicle was being used to carry out activities outside the office,” Kahiga said.
The governor also questioned the amount of fuel being consumed by the vehicle, suggesting that county resources could have been used during the alleged private trips.
“I was wondering why the fuel was running out. I thought the Deputy Governor was out campaigning, only to find out it was for beautiful women,” Kahiga said.
Kahiga did not name the driver or identify the women he claimed were picked up by the vehicle.
His allegations come as the government moves to tighten monitoring of official vehicles through the Government Vehicle Management System.
The system is expected to provide real-time information on government vehicles, including their authorised drivers, fuel consumption, mileage and maintenance history.
The measures are intended to improve accountability and curb the misuse of government vehicles.