PIC declares Kimunya hostile witness in railway probe drama

The parliamentary committee investigating the Sh448 billion standard gauge railway Monday declared former Transport minister Amos Kimunya a hostile witness after a heated exchange over his role in the project.

Mr Kimunya took the Public Investments Committee (PIC) head on, at one time dismissing the chairman Adan Keynan as being “out of order.”

“When I come to assist the committee, I deserve some respect. You have done enough in taking a lot of money from taxpayers. I value my time,” Mr Kimunya told the committee as he demanded to know why he had been called to appear before the committee yet he was a private citizen.

“You have asked me questions and when I want to respond you are making insinuations. I don’t like these insinuations that you are trying to make,” he said as he walked out.

The committee is investigating how China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) was selected to construct the railway without competitive bidding.

Committee member Thomas Mwadegu accused Kimunya of belittling the committee and having a controversial record in managing public resources.

“Whatever Kimunya has touched stinks. Remember the Safaricom shares, Grand Regency, money printing currency and now the railway? Kimunya can’t escape from this,” he said.

Mr Kimunya said he took over office in 2010 two years after the railway project plans had started.

Mr Keynan said the committee would “make our own conclusions based on what he has told us.”

READ: Kimunya risks arrest after snubbing railway probe team

In his submissions to the committee before he was declared a hostile witness Mr Kimunya said the Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC), whose board members include the Attorney-General, the Treasury and Transport principal secretaries, cleared the railway project.

“Kenya Railways should take responsibility for approving the project,” said Mr Kimunya, adding that the ministry dealt with policy directions after Cabinet approved the railway project.

“Our role was to engage the government of Uganda to get bilateral agreement in order to harmonise the railway and ensure that the new railway was seamless.”

He said the ministry engaged the government of China “because we knew they were to provide financing.”

Mr Kimunya said the Public Procurement and Disposal Act prohibits ministries from interfering with procurement in State corporations.

“We were to implement the decision of the Cabinet and ensure that we get the railway at a cost-effective and cheap way,” he said.

He said KRC was left to agree on what they wanted to do with CRBC, adding that the corporation did the technical specifications.