Graft claims that humbled the mighty

President Uhuru Kenyatta suspended four Cabinet secretaries and five principal secretaries on the basis of allegations raised against them by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

A report that EACC submitted to the National Assembly early this month details the allegations.

The Cabinet secretaries are Felix Koskei (Agriculture), Michael Kamau (Transport), Kazungu Kambi (Labour) and Davis Chirchir (Energy).

Senior officials and principal secretaries suspended include Cabinet Secretary Francis Kimemia, the Deputy President’s Chief of Staff Marianne Kitany and Principal secretaries Mutea Iringo (Defence), Nduva Muli (Transport), Patrick Omutia (Mining) and James Teko (Water).

Mr Davis Chirchir

He announced that he had decided to step aside following the “Chickengate” scandal in which he was adversely mentioned.

But sources indicated that his name was not in the list submitted to Parliament.

He might have been pushed out due to pressure that his exclusion might undermine the authenticity of the list.

The government has been under pressure to act on Kenyans adversely mentioned after two directors of a British security printing firm Smith and Ouzman (S&O) were jailed for bribing Kenyan officials to secure multi-million-shilling contracts.

“The Commission sent two of its officers to the UK to gather additional evidence relevant to our case so as to supplement our local investigations which are ongoing,” reads the report.

Mrs Charity Ngilu

During her two year stint at the Lands Ministry’s helm, Mrs Ngilu has had to confront enormous issues, with land-grabbing being the main challenge.

EACC has been investigating claims of irregular allocation and issuance of titles in respect of 500,000 acres of public land in Lamu County to 22 private entities; claims of irregular acquisition of Lang’ata Road Primary School in Nairobi by a private developer and alleged awarding of top government officials with 134.4 acres of land in Karen, Nairobi.

Other allegations were that the ministry planned to deprive a private firm of a parcel of land L.R No. 209/19473 located on State House Crescent in Nairobi. The investigations into these allegations are expected to be completed by September.

Mr Kazungu Kambi

Was suspended as a result of three files on the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), which are being investigated by EACC. The files are on alleged misrepresentation at the NSSF Board of Trustees; the design, supply, installation and commission of Electronic Security Surveillance System — Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and Restricted Access Control System at NSSF.

The third file is on allegations that the NSSF Board of Trustees irregularly approved a Sh5 billion budget for the regularisation and infrastructure development of Tassia II Scheme and award of the tender to China Jiangxi International Kenya Ltd.

The EACC report also compelled NSSF Managing Director Richard Langat to step aside as investigations continue.

Mr Mutea Iringo

He is alleged to have bribed officials of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) over a Sh2.8 billion confidential expenditure in the Office of the President in the 2012/2013 Financial Year.

He was the Interior Ministry PS when senior officials were accused of sanctioning irregular withdrawals that were deposited in a secret National Bank of Kenya account, used in the run-up to the 2013 General Election.

It is alleged that he bribed some PAC members with Sh1.5 million, to alter the report on the expenditure, claims he has denied.

But he admitted that he called PAC Vice-Chairperson Cecily Mbarire upon realising that the committee report on the 2012/2013 Government Audited Accounts did not accurately capture what he had said about the confidential expenditure.

Mr Michael Kamau

He admitted that his ministry was being investigated over many issues but personally, he was not aware of the nature of the corruption allegations against him.

However, the Cabinet Secretary could, among other issues, be a victim of the multi-billion shilling standard gauge railway project that was given a go-ahead despite spirited resistance, particularly by legislators from the Opposition.

He was relieved of his duties alongside his principal secretary for Transport, Mr Nduva Muli.

Mr Francis Kimemia

There are claims that the EACC previously questioned Mr Kimemia in 2013, when he was Head of Civil Service, over corruption in the Public Service.

The commission had opposed, on grounds of corruption, the nomination of Mr Kimemia as the first holder of the office of the Secretary to the Cabinet when he was nominated by the President.

However, it was not clear if he was questioned on alleged personal involvement or as Head of Public Service. Much of his troubles would be related to abuse of office and alleged involvement in corruption, when he served as the Head of the Civil Service.

Mr Felix Koskei

He said he had never seen a letter from EACC or been called to record a statement over any wrongdoing.

But his predicament could have arisen from the manner in which he handled Mumias Sugar Company’s woes and the alleged illegal importation of sugar, at a time when there was a push to address the financial mess at the giant miller and rescue it from imminent collapse.

Politicians, particularly those from the sugar belt, suspected foul play in Mr Koskei’s fast move to allow the sugar imports, saying it was bound to ‘kill’ the local sugar industry.