MPs to question four Cabinet secretaries today

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri address journalist at the Meru ASK show on June 8, 2018 at Gitoro show ground. [Photo/ Peter Muthomi/Standard]

Four Cabinet secretaries will today be questioned by a joint parliamentary committee on how suspected contraband sugar gained entry into the local market.

They are Mwangi Kiunjuri (Agriculture and Irrigation), Adan Mohamed (Industrialisation and Enterprise Development), Henry Rotich (Treasury) and  Fred Matiang’i (Interior and Coordination of National Government).

They will appear before a joint sitting of the Agriculture and Livestock, and Trade, Industry and Cooperatives committees of the National Assembly to shed light on the matter that has dominated news headlines.

Joint team

On Friday, the joint House team, co-chaired by Mandera South MP Adan Ali (Agriculture and Livestock) and his Kieni counterpart Kanini Kega (Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives) held its first meeting.

Yesterday, Mr Ali, told The Standard the CSs had been made aware of the date with the MPs. 

He explained that the committees believe the CSs have information that will be useful to the team which is investigating the source of the suspected contraband sugar.

“We will have a session with CSs Kiunjuri and Adan in the morning while Rotich and Matiang’i are scheduled to make an appearance in the afternoon,” said Ali.

A Government Chemist report has established that part of recently seized consignment of contraband sugar contained particles of mercury and copper which, at some levels, are harmful to human health.

Two weeks ago, CS Matiang’i paraded some 1,365 bags of sugar that he said was seized from a warehouse in Ruiru.

Another batch of sugar was seized in Eastleigh and Industrial Area in Nairobi.

Yesterday, the committee's chairperson said the importation of cheap sugar might be a calculated move to kill local sugar companies.

Ali said they would also quiz several state agencies and stakeholders in the sector to get the bottom of the matter.

People the house team has invited for questioning include owner of Rai Group of companies Jaswinder Rai.

Others are Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commission CEO Halakhe Waqo and the Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner General John Njiraini among others.

The committee has until Friday this week to compile its report.