The Government has spent Sh7.2 million of taxpayers’ money to rent accommodation for the Kenya High Commissioner to London.
A parliamentary committee unearthed the damning expenditure incurred because Joseph Muchemi, the immediate former High Commissioner, declined to surrender the official residence for incoming envoy Ephraim Ngare.
The standoff has forced the High Commission to rent an apartment at a cost of 10,307.1 UK pounds (Sh1.2 million) per month. A receipt detailing payments for the apartment is attached to the report a copy of which The Standard obtained.
The amount is payment for the room for the duration November 5 to December 7, according to the report by the Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations. Acting High Commissioner AK Chebukaka wrote to Muchemi on October 29 confirming the new High Commissioner and his family was scheduled to arrive in London on November 5.
Official residence
"This is to, therefore, require that you make available the residence on November 2," Chebukaka wrote.
That did not happen and Muchemi was put up in the rented apartment. But the committee chaired by Wajir West MP Adan Keynan, which travelled to the UK last month, was informed the cost of renting the apartment is £16,000 per month. This translates to £48,000 for the period Muchemi stayed there.
Muchemi was recalled in May, but the order was extended to August 19. He, according to the report, declined to honour and instead requested to remain in London on account of indisposition.
The committee wants action taken against Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang’ula for his "inaccurate" response on the matter.
The committee was unhappy with the minister’s response to a question by Bahari MP Benedict Gunda when he appeared before it on November 18.
