Moi Girls' fire probe: MPs furious at Kinoti for snubbing meeting
Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti. He failed to appear before MPs investigating the Moi Girls School fire tragedy. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Kinoti was seen within the precincts of Parliament and was just waiting to be called into the meeting room when he disappeared.
- Nominated MP Wilson Sossion said Mr Kinoti is a public officer who is accountable to the people.
Members of Parliament have expressed fury over failure by the Director of Criminal Investigations, Mr George Kinoti (right), to appear before them for the second time.
The DCI was yesterday expected to present a comprehensive report on rape allegations at Moi Girls High School, Nairobi, and on school unrest to the House Committee on Education. But he did not show up despite being seen within the precincts of Parliament.
The Parliament Secretariat kept informing the MPs that the DCI was within and would walk in any time after their in-house meeting.
'BAD BEHAVIOUR'
Malava MP Moses Malulu Injendi said he was reliably informed that Mr Kinoti was seen within the precincts of Parliament, hence he cannot just disappear when needed by the committee.
“We need to know what happened along the way. He told us that he was within the main Parliament,” said Mr Injendi.
The lawmakers accused Mr Kinoti of undermining their legislative role and of not taking the committee seriously.
“The Executive needs to be serious with us. It is very bad behaviour for security officers to snub this committee. We are investigating a serious matter where a student was allegedly raped,” said committee chairman Julius Meli (Tinderet).
STAKEHOLDER
Migori Woman Representative Pamela Odhiambo faulted the DCI for the no-show, saying the country has been waiting for the truth about the rape allegations.
“To the public, it appears that we are doing nothing about the incident. We are a serious stakeholder that is supposed to help the country in getting the truth about what happened at Moi Girls,” said Ms Odhiambo.
Nominated MP Wilson Sossion, who is also the Secretary-General of the Kenya National Union of Teachers, urged the DCI to resign if he cannot undertake his duties as required by the Constitution.
DISAPPEARED
“Serious allegations were levelled against teachers at the school. It is the DCI who has the mandate to carry out investigations and tell the country the truth. We have been waiting here for him; then he just disappeared,” said Mr Sossion.
Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba said: “Either the DCI should do his work or step aside as the country is anxious to know what happened at Moi Girls”.
The MPs said they would raise the matter with the Speaker and the Clerk.
