Charge those involved in 'chickengate' scam or close file, MP says

Parliamentary Justice and legal Affairs Chairman Samuel Chepkonga. PHOTO:BONIFACE OKENDO/STANDARD]

 

The National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee yesterday renewed pressure on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to expedite investigations into cases of bribery in the purchase of election materials, the collapse of Mumias Sugar Company and the ownership of Integrity Centre.

Committee Chairman Samuel Chepkonga (Ainabkoi) said it would be risky for the country to go to the next elections with some of the suspects in the Sh50 million chickengate scandal at the helm of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

"When we have no confidence in an election body, no one will believe the election results. If they can be bribed (in the purchase of electoral materials), what would stop one party from bribing them in the General Election?" Mr Chepkonga wondered.

Speaking during a meeting in Nairobi's Continental House, the MP questioned why EACC Chief Executive Halakhe Waqo was dilly dallying in the pursuit of the files from the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in Britain, to be used to nail the corrupt officials that were involved in the bribery.

The bribes, according to the court documents were code named "chicken".

"You must remember that most of us in this committee are lawyers. These documents were produced in a court of law. What is so difficult in getting these documents, and coming to use them here as exhibits?" he asked.

"If these people have no case, say they have no case. If they have a case, they should not be in office," he added. But Waqo insisted that the Mutual Legal Assistance procedure is very elaborate on how to deal with access to documents. Waqo said he had been to Britain three times seeking to access the documents, but the "back and forth" was "too much".

Waqo said the documents have to come from the courts, to the SFO, then to the British Attorney General, who will then give it to Kenyan Embassy in London, from there to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then to our Attorney General and finally to EACC.