• CS Adan also grilled bringing to five ministers questioned
• Wakhungu recalled from France to record a statement with DCI
Image: JACK OWUOR
Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya, the whistle-blower in the Sh21 billion dams scandal, has made fresh revelations that are likely to heighten tensions within the Jubilee administration.
The details emerged as anti-graft detectives yesterday grilled two more CSs and a Principal Secretary. Another ex-minister, now a diplomat, has been recalled for questioning.
Munya recounted to detectives yesterday how he resisted pressure from some top Jubilee leaders to sign documents that would have released an additional Sh4 billion in taxpayers' cash.
He served for six months as the CS for the East Africa Community and Regional Development, the parent ministry implementing the construction of the Arror and Kimwarer dams in Elgeyo-Marawet county.
About Sh21 billion has already been paid out for the dams.
Sh7.8 billion was paid to the bankrupt Italian contractor CMC di Ravenna, while another Sh11.2 billion was paid to SACE Insurance Premium, an Italian government agency.
Under intense pressure to sign, Munya, a lawyer by training, reportedly wrote to Treasury Chief Henry Rotich, informing him that the dam tenders did not follow laid-down procedures.
He advised against the release of more cash.
“We have heard all manner of claims including how Munya was put under pressure by some top government officials to sign documents and when he refused he was transferred,” an investigator privy to the matter told the Star.
It is not clear if Munya had named a top government official who attempted to arm-twist him into signing documents.
Munya, whom the detectives are likely to use as a witness, was not required to present any documents when he appeared before Serious Crimes Unit investigators.
We have heard all manner of claims including how Munya was put under pressure by some top government officials to sign documents and when he refused he was transferredInvestigator
A section of Deputy President William Ruto’s allies have openly expressed their discomfort with the vocal Munya who, until his appointment to the Cabinet last year, was Meru governor.
Some of the DP's allies have bitterly blamed Munya for allegedly blackmailing Rotich before going ahead to be the whistle-blower after his moves were rejected
Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot publicly claimed Munya requested Rotich to approve a Sh500 million project in his home county but the Treasury boss reportedly turned him down.
“The truth of the matter is, at one particular time, CS Munya, who was in charge of regional development, went to Cabinet Secretary Rotich who is in charge of Treasury and told him, I need Sh500 million for a project in my home county',” the Senator said on NTV last week.
He went on, “When the CS [Rotich] told him [Munya] that that is not how government works, he told him, ‘Why are you denying me only a paltry Sh500 million while you have allocated Sh63 billion to projects in your home county? If you do not give me that money, I will spoil for this project.' True to his word, he is the whistle-blower.”
According to Cheruiyot, it was Munya who wrote to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and State Corporation Advisory Committee, raising issues with the contract.
Apart from Munya, the Star has established that the current East Africa Community and Regional Development CS Adan Mohammed was also questioned yesterday at DCI headquarters, Mazingira House.
Adan is Munya’s immediate successor.
Ex- Environment and Regional Development Authorities CS Judy Wakhungu, now Kenya’s ambassador to France, has since been recalled and is required to record statements with the investigators over the same matter.
Wakhungu was not available to give her statements yesterday but is expected back in the country by end of the week for questioning.
Dr Margaret Mwakima, PS in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, was also questioned by the police.
Also made to record statements was Irrigation Principal Secretary Fred Segor.
Ex-Planning PS Irungu Nyakera is expected to be questioned today.
The department concerned with the construction of the two dams has been moved from three different ministries since the Jubilee government took power in 2013.
It was first domiciled in the Environment ministry before being moved to Devolution and eventually to the East African Community.
The probe, among the biggest in recent times, is expected be complete by the end of the week.
The Star has established that the probe has caused a major falling out between the DCI and the EACC as the two agencies feuded over who should probe the matter.
On August 24 last year, Deputy Head of investigations at DCI headquarters Carey Nyawinda wrote to Kerio Valley Development Authority chief David Kimosop to request original documents relating to the two dams.
In his letter reference CID/IB./SCU/Sec/4/4/1/vol xvlv/147, Nyawinda informed the KVDA boss that the DCI had opened investigations into claims of misappropriation of funds in relation to the construction of the two dams.
He demanded that KVDA submit to the DCI 14 crucial documents, among them evaluation reports, tender documents, notice of awarding of the two projects and negotiations minutes.
But three days later, KVDA wrote to the DCI vide a letter reference KVDA/HQS/PRJ/6109, saying that the requested document had been forwarded to the EACC.
Kimosop said the EACC; through their letter reference No EACC6/6/1 VOl 11(66) dated August 31, 2018, had sought the same documents and advised the DCI to liase with the EACC.
Yesterday, highly placed sources told the Star that the EACC had declined to provide the documents and insisted on pursuing their own investigations
It took the intervention of the Attoney General Kihara Kariuki who held a closed-door meeting between the top leadership of the two agencies to have the documents move from the EACC to the DCI headquarters.
Kariuki is the chairman of the multi-agency team on anti-corruption.