Michael Kamau charged anew over Sh33m road tender award

Former Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau has been charged anew over Sh33 million tender award for a road in Bungoma County.

Mr Kamau faces charges of flouting procurement laws in the award of the Kamukuywa-Kaptuma-Kapsokwony-Sirisia road tender award on March 15, 2008.

In the case filed by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, he was accused of abusing his office and mismanaging public funds.

Mr Kamau pleaded to the charges after the Court of Appeal recently dismissed of an application to block his prosecution.

However, the former CS said he had filed an application at the Supreme Court.

Be that as it may, Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti said there were no orders stopping his prosecution.

Mr Kamau is being charged alongside former engineers in the ministry Mwangi Maingi  and Nicholas Ndubg'u. 

Mr Ogoti released the former CS on a Sh500, 000 cash bail.

Mr Kamau was in 2015 charged with two counts of abuse office and wilful failure to comply with applicable procedures as well as guidelines relating to management of public funds.

He was also accused of failing to comply with the set rules by ignoring the design of the Bungoma done by Engiconsult Limited at a cost of Sh33,303,600 and entering into a memorandum under which the resident engineer redesigned the same road without due process.

He allegedly abused his authority by causing the road to be redesigned without involving experts.

The former CS was accused of committing the said offences between 2007 and 2008 when he served as the permanent secretary in the Roads and Public Works ministry.

His prosecution in June 2015 came after he was suspended from his ministerial position by President Kenyatta.