Minister blames transfer on move to expose graft

A minister has blamed his recent transfer to another Ministry on his efforts to unearth corrupt deals.

Public Works assistant minister Mwangi Kiunjuri said Friday he was moved from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation after he blew the whistle on underhand transactions involving officials at his former posting.

He said that he informed Water minister Charity Ngilu of the scam involving procurement of consultancy and professional services to relevant state corporations by the Ministry worth millions of shillings.

Mr Kiunjuri said Mrs Ngilu promised to address the issue.

"I wish to state clearly and in broad daylight that I shall continue to point out what in my judgement is not right, in whichever office I work in," he said during a news conference at the Ministry's offices in Nairobi.

"I did that in the the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and I challenge those in government to contradict me on this and whether it is no why I earned this transfer."

The assistant minister further vowed to raise the issues with relevant departmental committees of Parliament.

He added that it was not also fair for him to name those behind the scandals until investigations were complete.

Mr Kiunjuri said the minister could not also be involved as the irregularities were mainly in parastatals under the ministry.

One consultant, he added, had been given six jobs although he had performed dismally in others. He said other forms of graft were in supplies.

“They are broad issues which I can't address in a press conference," he said.

The Laikipia East MP further claimed his posting to Public Works was as a result of horse-trading between top government officials from PNU and ODM.

While some PNU leaders wanted Mr Harun Mwau out of Transport Ministry headed by Mr Amos Kimunya, those in ODM were unhappy with him at Ministry of Water and Irrigation.

“As a result there was horse-trading to sacrifice loyal generals because they wanted to please each other,” he said.

Mr Kiunjuri, who is serving his third term as MP, said his transfer is also due to political succession battle in Central Province as his rising political star had angered some leaders.

The MP, Kanu chairman Uhuru Kenyatta, assistant minister Peter Kenneth and Gichugu MP Martha Karua are the leading political lights in Central whose supporters want them to succeed President Kibaki when his term expires in 2012.

"As we wage political wars and fight graft, political wars are also on," he said at his office.

Last month, Mrs Ngilu put on notice all officers in her Ministry over corruption.

Issuing a statement in Parliament, she gave details of goings-on in three parastatals under her docket that have been cited over corruption and gross mismanagement.

“I will not allow misappropriations of funds allocated to my Ministry for the development of water resources,” said Ms Ngilu.

The minister named the Tana-Athi Water Services Board, the National Water Conservation and Pipeline Company and the Nairobi Water Company as among those under investigation over money scandals.

The minister told Parliament that one contractor had already put in a Sh513 million claim at the National Water Corporation but when she asked for evidence, the contractor said he didn’t have any.

The Laikipia East MP said that he was ready to surrender his "dossier" to the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission (Kacc) as soon as next week if no action is taken against the culprits.

"One wonders whether it is the whistleblower who should be crucified or the culprit and if I never raised any serious issues why did the government go ahead and heed my advise to audit the Ministry of Water and Irrigation.

The chief executive of the Kitui-based Tanathi Water Services Board, Joseph Nzesya was sent home after a report documenting gross mismanagement at the board was made public.

The audit report by the Water Services Regulatory Board (Wasreb) implicated some officials in theft of public funds.

He said all government officials should adhere to the principals of accountability, transparency and probity.

"I have one message to Kenyans, we have signed on to a new Constitution and we must make it work by holding each other accountable more so our leaders.

"I shall play my part a lot more forthrightly, fearlessly and with focus."

Mr Kiunjuri was transferred to the Ministry of Public Works in a recent mini-Cabinet reshuffle, whose highlight was the suspension of Higher Education minister William Ruto.

Mr Ruto was stood aside by Pesident Kibaki, in consultations with Prime Minister Raila Odinga, after a constitution court ruled that he would face criminal prosecution in a Sh272m fraud case.