Meru County Secretary Dr. Kiambi Atheru and Finance Chief Officer Charles Mwenda were arrested on Tuesday following their failure to settle over half a million shillings owed to Theresa Kiunga.
Kiunga had sued the county government in 2014 after her property was unlawfully interfered with.
The arrest highlights a growing issue surrounding the non-payment of court awards stemming from the administrations of former Governors Peter Munya and Kiraitu Murungi.
Governor Kawira Mwangaza recently expressed frustration over the delayed payments, which have been a persistent problem.
The unresolved cases also include the non-payment of a significant amount to a hotelier whose Leopard Rock Lodge was illegally evicted from Meru National Park during Kiraitu’s tenure.
In addition to Atheru and Mwenda’s arrest, Finance Executive Ibrahim Mutwiri is also being sought by authorities over the lodge eviction matter, where the hotelier is owed over half a billion shillings.
Governor Mwangaza has promised to address the issue and ensure that all outstanding payments are made promptly, as the county faces increasing pressure to resolve these long-standing disputes.
The arrests signal a crackdown on county officials failing to comply with court decisions, as part of broader efforts to enhance accountability within the Meru County government.
