EACC grills Evans Kidero over legal fees paid to lawyers

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero. (Photo: Boniface Okendo/Standard)

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero was Thursday questioned by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over claims of suspicious payments made to lawyers by City Hall.

Officials said the county boss appeared at the commission's office at Integrity Centre for 20 minutes and left. But Kidero has denied the claim. "I am not aware of that. Who told you that because I am busy elsewhere," said Kidero.

Apart from Kidero, some county employees, specifically from the parking department, also appeared at the graft agency's office.

EACC Chief Executive Halakhe Waqo said the governor was required to record a statement regarding over Sh50 million alleged to have been paid out in unscrupulous deals.

"There are allegations that the money was paid to lawyers for legal representation for cases that did not exist. We want to establish if the lawyers were used as conduits to swindle City Hall," he said.

But the county chief denied being under investigation, adding that at no time did he go to Integrity Centre yesterday.

Kidero said he met CORD leaders Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang'ula at Fairview Hotel at 8am, and therefore could not have been in two places at the same time.

Commission officials said the governor was there between 9.10am and 9.25am. "He came to shed light on the allegations that are being investigated," said another official aware of the probe.

The other county officials are under probe over claims of misusing public funds.

Last month, a supervisor was arrested by EACC for allegedly obtaining money from motorists fraudulently.

She and others are expected at Integrity Centre on Monday for further grilling, the commission said yesterday amid claims of compromise.

Meanwhile, Kidero wants Jubilee politicians Peter Keneth and Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko arrested after they were involved in  gun drama last Sunday.

He accused Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery of reluctance to take any action against the politicians who "endangered lives".

"Mr Nkaissery has been at the forefront of arresting politicians who break the law but I fail to understand why he has remained quiet on the issue.

"We will not allow politicians to disrupt peace we have enjoyed since independence," said Kidero in Gagoretti where he was inspecting road projects.

The governor warned that if Nkaissery failed to arrest the two, he would mobilise residents and have them arrested.