Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji on Monday ordered the arrest of the country’s Treasury Cabinet Secretary, Henry Rotich over a multi-million-dollar dam scandal.
Kenyan authorities are probing the possible loss of 17 billion shillings ($164 million) meant for the construction of the two multi-purpose dams in Kerio Valley namely, Arror and Kimwarer dams
Also arrested was treasury Principal Secretary, Kamau Thuge, Dr. Susan Jemtai Koech, Principal Secretary, Ministry of East Africa Community among other senior government officials.
Haji said that investigations established that the government officials flouted all procurement rules and abused their oath of office to ensure the scheme went through.
The two dams were supposed to be constructed at a cost of 46 billion shillings, however the National Treasury went ahead and borrowed 17 billion shillings more, inflating the total cost of the project to 63 billion shillings ($609 million), without regard to performance or works.
So brazen is the scandal that money was paid to CMC di Ravenna, whose officials have never been on the site, and for a project that has not even been designed.
“We now also know that CMC di Ravenna submitted draft technical designs in February 2019 four years behind schedule,” said Haji.
According to Haji, the government officials decided to offer the multi-million tender to an already collapsed, Italian firm, CMC Di Ravenna to undertake the construction of the dams in Rift Valley.
Haji and his colleague from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, George Kinoti, flew to Italy on last month to conclude investigations into the Arror and Kimwarer dams scandal.
“On September 18, 2018, DCI received complaints on operations at 2 dam projects –Arror and Kimwarer. Investigations revealed that the conception, procurement and payment processes were riddled with massive illegalities,” Haji told journalists in Nairobi.
“Upon receiving and reviewing the evidence, I am satisfied there is sufficient evidence to charge and prosecute the perpetrators,” he added.
This is the first time in Kenya’s history that a treasury boss has been arrested over graft in a country riddled with corruption cases allegedly involving senior government officials.
“Being cognizant that corruption always fights back and that there may be elements who may seek to exploit these indictments to instigate social unrest we have put in place mechanisms to monitor any such attempts, which will be countered with whole of government response,” said Haji.
JK/as/APA