ICT Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i denies claims of bribery over thin Sim roll-out

ICT Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i.

Information, Communication and Technology Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i Thursday told MPs he did not influence the approval of a licence to Equity Bank to roll out the thin Sim mobile money transfer technology in the country.

Turkana South MP James Lomenen told the National Assembly Committee on Energy, Communication and Information that senior Government officials including Dr Matiang'i were compromised to approve the roll out, which is the subject of a court case.

He claimed Communication Authority of Kenya Director General Francis Wangusi was among those who may have been compromised.

"Where I come from, it is possible to recognise someone who has eaten a goat. After eating the goat, people watching him will automatically conclude that he has partaken of the goat.

"We recognised one of the partakers when the Communication Authority Director General appeared here and today we have recognised another. I hope we will not see a third one soon," the MP remarked.

Matiang'i, however, went on the defensive as he parried the corruption claims and challenged the MP to substantiate his allegations.

He told the committee it was unfair to cite him for graft and invited the MPs to investigate the allegations.

"It is neither right nor fair to suggest that we were biased or compromised," he said.