EACC to question Najib Balala on Sh100m expo contract

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala during a meeting with members of the Parliamentary Committee on Delegated Legislation at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort in Mombasa, February 6, 2019. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  MOHAMED AHMED  &  Nyaboga Kiage

What you need to know:

  • A letter signed by the agency's investigations director, Abdi Mohamud, stated it was conducting investigations into claims of a contract award to the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) Kenya.
  • In the letter dated February 13, Balala was asked to report to the EACC's headquarters at Integrity Centre in Nairobi by Monday to record a statement.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has summoned Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala over the alleged irregular award of a Sh100 million contract for a 2017 conference.

A letter signed by the agency's investigations director, Abdi Mohamud, stated it was conducting investigations into claims of a contract award to the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) Kenya, regarding hosting the 2017 Destination Expo Conference.

The ASTA Destination Expo is an international event that takes place at different locations every year, the purpose being to sell new destinations to clients, according to its website.

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STATEMENT

In the letter dated February 13, Mr Balala was asked to report to the EACC's headquarters at Integrity Centre in Nairobi by Monday to record a statement.

The EACC told the minister, "To facilitate our investigations, you are kindly invited for an interview and statement recording at our Integrity Centre offices on February 18, 2019 at 9am."

EACC officers Francis Wafula and Kimutai Langat will record the minister's statement.

The Nation learnt that the probe had been going on for months and that Tourism Principal Secretary Joe Okudo had been recording statements over the issue that raised a storm in the ministry.

Via Twitter on Friday, Mr Balala said, "[The] EACC inquiry on the American Society of Travel Agents Expo that took place at KICC in Feb 2017, organised by ASTA Kenya chapter, has been an ongoing process ... the Ministry of Tourism has fully cooperated since the start of the inquiry."

'RUMOURS'

Also via Twitter, the minister denied claims by one of the local dailies that EACC detectives raided his houses and office on Monday.

The report claimed Mr Balala’s office in Nairobi and his homes in Kilifi and Mombasa were raided by detectives who allegedly “recovered crucial documents that will assist them in the investigations".

He dismissed the claims as “rumours", saying, "No raids have taken place at my house as claimed today."

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