State House Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has directed the suspension of
six Chief Executive Officers for alleged involvement in corruption and procurement irregularities within their respective institutions.
According to a dispatch from State House, Koskei also directed the suspension of 67 police officers and an accountant at the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA).
This is after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) recommended the suspension of the officers, who are currently under investigation.
“In issuing the directives, the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service emphasizes that
the Government remains firm in its commitment to eradicating corruption which, he maintains, undermines its development agenda,” read the dispatch in part.
The CEOs ordered for suspension include Eng Fredrick Mwamati, CEO, Tanathi Water Works Development Agency pending investigations touching on procurement in the agency.
“The EACC has written to the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, Hon. Zachariah Njeru, recommending the suspension of Eng. Fredrick Mwamati, the Chief Executive Officer of the Tanathi Water Works Development Agency.
Mr Mwamati is under investigation for procurement irregularities in the award of a tender for the construction of a Leather Industrial Park Water Supply Project,” State House Spokesperson stated.
Other CEOs whom EACC want suspended are Stephen Ogenga, Director General of the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), Stanvas Ong’alo, Acting Director General of National Museums of Kenya and Benjamin Kai Chilumo, the CEO of Huduma Centre Secretariat.
The issue on Chilumo relates to when he served in the County Government of Kilifi as the Chief Finance Officer.
EACC also wants the CEO/GM of Bomas of Kenya, for allegations of procurement irregularities in supplies for the institution and Eng. Anthony Wamukota, the General Manager of Design & Construction at Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO), for alleged procurement irregularities related to the construction contract of the 400KV Loiyangalani Power Project.
The commission has also written to the Director-General of KeRRA, Engineer Philemon Kandie, to suspend Esther Wanjiru Chege, an accountant at the institution, for alleged conflict of interest and possession of unexplained wealth.
“Furthermore, the EACC has asked the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Japhet Koome, to suspend 67 police officers implicated in corruption-related malpractices,” the statement added.
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