EACC recommends graft charges against Kamau and Kambi

Transport secretary Michael Kamau and his Labour counterpart, Kazungu Kambi, are at risk of losing their jobs after the anti-graft watchdog recommended charges against them over corruption allegations.

The two, who have been on suspension since March, are likely to face abuse of office charges based on investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) if the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Keriako Tobiko, agrees with the agency’s recommendations.

The law requires that public servants who are charged with criminal offences be interdicted and put on half-pay until their cases are determined.

Mr Kamau is accused of embezzlement of funds in the ongoing construction of Kamukuywa-Kaptama-Kapsokwony-Kimilili Road, where he is said to have colluded with the contractor to change the road design, leading to loss of public funds.

Additionally, he is accused of illegally allocating a contract to a Chinese clearing and forwarding firm, Land Mark Clearing and Forwarding Company, for 14 years. The firm was allegedly tasked with handling 80 per cent of imported cargo on the port of Mombasa.

Mr Kambi is likely to face charges of irregular appointment of Mr Andrew Gichamba Muigai and Ms Veska Jepkemboi as members of the National Social Security Fund board.

He is also likely to face prosecution for irregularly approving Sh5 billion for infrastructure development at Tassia II housing scheme.

Agriculture secretary Felix Koskei and his Lands counterpart Charity Ngilu got a reprieve after the EACC failed to recommend charges against them, but their fate still lies with the DPP who might order further investigations into their alleged offences.

READ: Ngilu, Koskei survive probe, Kamau, Kambi face charges

The EACC presented files bearing the four ministers’ cases to Mr Tobiko on Monday for action after it completed investigations into graft cases facing them.

However, Energy secretary Davies Chirchir’s file was not presented to the DPP yesterday as the agency said it was still conducting investigations.

EACC did not also presented the files of four suspended principal secretaries as investigations into their cases are still ongoing.

The anti-graft agency’s chief executive officer, Halakhe Waqo, has requested for an extension of the 60-day deadline that President Uhuru Kenyatta gave them to complete the investigations after it lapsed on Monday.

“It could not be possible to finalise all the matters within 60 days. It is of importance that investigations are not hurriedly undertaken as it portends a risk of all evidence not being critically analysed,” said Mr Waqo.

He pointed out that the complexity of some of the cases, their international nature and the retrieval of evidence were some of the issues that had delayed investigations.