Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau willing to be questioned on contentious railway tender

By MOSES NJAGIH  and MARGARET KANINI

Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau has said he is willing to appear before Parliament’s watchdog committee probing the controversial standard gauge railway tender to prove its procurement was above board.

Kamau yesterday said he would appear before the Public Investments Committee (PIC) on Monday afternoon, as requested of him, to defend the procurement of the multi-billion shilling tender that has raised a storm, prompting Parliament’s investigations.

The cabinet secretary maintained that in awarding China Roads and Bridges Corporation the tender to construct the first phase of the railway from Mombasa to Nairobi at a cost of Sh327 billion, there was no fraud.

“I will go (before the PIC) on Monday and will give insight into the tender. And even if I am asked to go before any other committee or body, I will do it again and again to shed light (on the matter),” he said.

He said the contract was a government–to-government deal between Kenya and China, which got the AG’s approval, contradicting the position advanced by an MP who appeared before the probe committee on Wednesday.