Economy

Okemo turns down Kenya Seed board appointment

okemo

Former energy and finance cabinet minister Chris Okemo. PHOTO | POOL

Former energy minister Chris Okemo has declined his appointment as the chair to the board of Kitale-based Kenya Seed Company citing the extradition case that he is facing at a British court.

The controversial appointment of Dr Okemo was made by the now suspended agriculture secretary Felix Koskei last week and it was to take effect on Monday.

Dr Okemo is wanted in the United Kingdom after a warrant of arrest was issued by the Chief Justice of the Island of Jersey in April 2011, who has accused him of money laundering and corruption.

The Jersey Chief Justice issued the arrest warrants over alleged “concealing of transferring the proceeds of crime amounting to Sh900 million” between 1986 and 2002.

Dr Okemo was Energy minister from 1999 to 2001 and Finance minister from 2001 to 2003.

He is accused alongside Samuel Gichuru who was the managing director of the Kenya Power and Lighting Company, now Kenya Power, between 1983 and 2003 when it was partially privatised.

At the same time, Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba has taken leave of all his parliamentary duties pending probe by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) into the alleged cases of corruption that has rocked the Public Accounts Committee.

In a letter to the speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi, Mr Namwamba sought to be excluded to the activities of the House.

“To demonstrate my full commitment to this unprecedented process, and further to affirm my unequivocal support for the historic anti-corruption drive initiated by the President, I hereby seek your permission to be excused from all parliamentary duties pending conclusion of said probe,” said Mr Namwamba.