Within a week of the national government  and the county government providing iron sheets and relief food to Teso North communities affected by storms and flooding, locals are reportedly trading the supplies for cash or a glass of “chang’aa” sweetness.

After receiving 17 iron sheets—10 from the national government and 7 from the county government—the victims decided to sell the item, which sells for Kshs. 1450, for only Kshs. 500.

Assistant County Commissioner Ben Kipkorir Birechi of the Angurai Division announced during the distribution of relief supplies and iron sheets to more than 200 families at the Angurai Vocational Training Institute in Teso North Subcounty that his office would audit the families to find out who traded iron sheets for chang’aa.

“The disaster committee together with local administration will conduct a forensic audit to identify those who pretended or bribed to be enlisted as victims only to sell the items for a glass of chang’aa,” said ACC Angurai Birechi.

His remarks coincide with a week after locals urged DCI to look into the unethical process that resulted in some households obtaining aid supplies even though they were never impacted.

Speaking at the time, the ACC was helping Busia governor Dr. Paul Nyongesa Otuoma deliver relief meals to the families impacted by the rains and floods that left over seventy households without a place to live.

Governor Otuoma, noting that Busia is already overtaken by the effects of floods with Budalang’I, Apokor, Amoni, and Akiriamasi, has urged the government to release disaster funds to the counties already experiencing adverse flooding to aid affected families. The majority of the country is currently experiencing heavy rainfall.

“As a county we are overwhelmed by the floods already, hundreds are displaced already across the county. We are appealing to the national disaster committee to give us funds to mitigate the situation before it escalates,” said governor Otuoma.