Emotions overwhelmed members of a Senate committee on Tuesday as a former military officer petitioned them while in a hospital bed.
Isaiah Ochanda petitioned the Senate’s National Security, Defence, and Foreign Relations Committee to come to his rescue after seeking justice for more than 35 years.
Ochanda is seeking more than Sh22 million from the Ministry of Defence accusing it of failing to pay him despite sustaining life-threatening injuries while on duty in 1987.
“I sustained spinal cord injuries in 1987 leaving me bedridden and in need of medical care,” he said.
Ochanda said he was an employee of the Ministry of Defence. He worked in the artillery department at the Embakasi Barracks.
He told the committee that he fell and hurt his spinal cord while training the Kenya wrestling team for the All-Africa Games later that year. The impact left him unconscious.
During the tragic fall, Ochanda suffered neck injuries and dislocated his spinal cord leaving him paralysed.
While at the Forces Memorial Hospital, Ochanda was advised to seek specialised medical attention in Britain.
Seven days later, he was diagnosed with spinal cord injury. He remained in the hospital until 1989 when he was discharged to recover from home.
The worst thing happened in 1995 when he received a letter discharging him from the service.
Ochanda said he was informed by his commanding officer to proceed on leave pending his retirement.
“A day before my retirement, I went back to collect my remaining dues (but) they informed me that they would only provide me with a return ticket," he said.
Four months later, he sent his family to follow up on his payment but they were informed that his documents do not exist," he said.
He said he has struggled to get medical discharge benefits in vain.
It has been decades now for the ex-KDF man to get paid his compensation award.
He needs medical attention but cannot get it because the state is yet to pay him Sh19 million that was awarded to him as compensation by the court on March 2, 2011.
The award was given by retired judge Kalpana Rawal.
Ochanda filed his case against the state in 1996.
This prompted him to go back to court.
In November 2011, Ochanda was issued with a certificate of taxation against the government for Sh22.9 million.
And in October 2017, the principal secretary for Defence was found in contempt of court and fined Sh5 million. The money remains unpaid.
An arrest warrant was issued against the PS. The order for the fine against the PS was given by Justice Roselyne Aburili in 2017.
He claimed the Ministry of Defence and Attorney General has frustrated his efforts to get his benefits awarded by the court.
“I have followed with various government offices such as the office of the Attorney General, CAJ, NCHR among other offices,” he said.
Kajiado Senator Seki Kanar, who chaired the session, said the committee will summon Defence CS Aden Duale and Attorney General Justin Muturi to explain the matter.
The two are expected to appear before the committee on March 28.
“The CS will appear on March 28 so that we can ask him what happened and why the ministry has not paid your benefits for all those years,” Seki said.
