EACC questions Sonko's executives on Sh1bn stadia scandal

What you need to know:

  • EACC is probing allegations of corruption in the award of the tender for construction or completion of four stadiums to M/s Scanjet Construction Limited in the 2017/2018 financial year.
  • Probe saw the EACC summon 15 senior City Hall officials in November 2019 and 16 in January.
  • Probe came after Public Procurement Regulatory Authority raised the red flag over irregular payments of Sh196.8 million in construction of Dandora Stadium.

More than 20 senior City Hall officials have once again been summoned by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over a Sh1 billion stadiums construction scandal.

The EACC is investigating allegations of corruption in the award of the tender for construction or completion of four stadiums to M/s Scanjet Construction Limited in the 2017/2018 financial year.

They are Dandora (Sh350 million), Kawangware (Sh250 million), Kihumbuini (Sh250 million) and Ziwani (Sh186.6 million), projects which have been ongoing since 2019.

The probe saw the EACC summon 15 senior City Hall officials in November 2019 and 16 in January.

THE OFFICIALS

The officers were asked to present themselves at the EACC's Integrity Centre headquarters between 9am and 2pm to record statements on the matter.

“Kindly facilitate release of the officers to attend an interview and [record statements] on February 28, 2020,” Mr Abdi Mohamud, the EACC's acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer, said in a February 26 letter to the county secretary.

“To assist us finalise our investigations, kindly furnish us with the original personal files for the following officers by March 4."

The officials include Governor Mike Sonko’s personal assistant Peter Kamau Mugo and county executives including Allan Igambi (Finance), Lucia Mulwa (Education), Veska Kangogo (Devolution), Hitan Majevdia (Health), Charles Kerich (Lands), Larry Wambua (Environment) and Mohamed Dagane (Transport).

Others are Pauline Kahiga (formerly Finance), Winfred Gathagu (formerly Agriculture) and chief officers Peter Mukenya (ICT), Halkano Waqo (Finance), Fredrick Karanja (Roads), Sammy Muthama (acting Transport) and Leboo Morintat (Public Service Management).

Newton Njiru, Christine Ireri, Johnson Akongo, Stephen Mutua, Peter Ingwe, Catherine Gichuba and Joyce Nungari Kinyanjui will also record statements.

QUESTIONS

The investigation comes after the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority raised the red flag over irregular payments of Sh196.8 million in the construction of Dandora Stadium.

The authority also raised questions on: irregularities in awarding the tender, altered contract specifications and forgery of documents.

This was after it received a complaint on June 13, 2019 with the complainant raising several issues about the Dandora project.

There were reports that Scanjet presented the cost for construction of a concrete structure but put up steel structures instead, in clear contravention of contract specifications.