Kimemia Maintains Innocence in EACC Appearance

Appearing before the anti graft committee at Integrity Centre on Thursday, Kimemia said that the claims made against him are false, adding that the Sh1 billion tender he’s alleged to have overseen was awarded in 2014 after he had left the ministry.

Kimemia’s lawyer Kamau Karori said the two-hour session at the EACC was fruitful as he reiterated his client’s innocence on the allegations against him.

Kimemia said that the accusations were a ploy to malign his name and taint his image in the public.

He said that he has worked in the public service for 37 years and never once, till now, has he been summoned by the anti graft commission.

Earlier on, Transport Cabinet Secretary Eng Michael Kamau had appeared before the commission over alleged inflation of consultancy fee for the standard gauge railway project and manipulation of tenders to favor a firm linked to him.

IRREGULAR AWARD OF TENDERS

Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir was also questioned over allegedly attempting to influence a Sh46 billion tender at Kenya Pipeline Corporation in which he and Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko would have pocketed Sh1.4 billion.

Kenya Airports Authority boss Lucy Mbugua was also questioned over irregular awarding of a tender for development and operation of duty free shops at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The report on corruption, implicating state and parastatal heads was released during President Uhuru Kenyatta's State of the Nation address last month.

The EACC was then given 60 days to investigate officers mentioned in the report and forward their findings to the president.

By Benjamin Wafula