Sh6.6 billion destruction at the centre of probe team split

Cabinet secretary interior Fred Matiang'i making his remarks on 17th April 2018during National policing conference at Kenya school of government.[Edward Kiplimo,Standard]

The looming destruction of a Sh6.6 billion sugar consignment should mercury presence be confirmed is at the heart of the split in a parliamentary committee, The Standard has learnt.

External forces and others within the committee yesterday continued to block the inclusion of a report by the Government Chemist that confirmed traces of mercury in tested samples in Nairobi and Bungoma counties.

A member of the joint committee claimed some of his colleagues were holding brief for sugar barons. The member said they wanted the finding of mercury excluded to protect the businessmen from incurring losses. This would in turn expose Kenyans to harmful sugar if it is released into the market.

Corroborate document

And for the second time yesterday, Government Chemist Ali Gakweli failed to appear to corroborate a document from the department that showed there were 0.5910 parts per million (ppm) in the sugar sample taken from Bungoma and 0.1151 ppm in the sample from Nairobi’s Moi Airbase.

Dissenting members claimed the officer's snub was a calculated move by those against the inclusion of the report so that the committee could disown the document already tabled before it.

On Wednesday, Mr Gakweli was reportedly ordered to withdraw when he turned up to defend the test results.

And yesterday, the committee locked the media out of what appeared to be a crisis sitting after Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i snubbed it alongside Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho.

Members who attended the one-hour session that began at 3pm told The Standard the sitting was rocked by shouting matches as some MPs demanded inclusion of the report based on documents already presented.

The co-chairs were openly told that the delay was raising suspicions that there could be a fishy scheme.

Committee co-chairman Adan Haji (Mandera South) later told The Standard they would make a final report based on documents they had received from State agencies.

But his co-chairman Kanini Kega (Kieni) said they would this morning meet the multi-agency team involved in the crackdown.

A total of 1.3 million 50kg bags have been impounded and are being held by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and other State agencies pending recommendation of various investigations.

A calculation of a market price of Sh100 per kilo means a total of Sh6,598,440,000 could be lost if the sugar is destroyed.

“From the total of 1,319,668 50-kg bags seized in various locations across the country, Kebs has drawn and tested 66 samples representing 1,266,351 50-kg bags. This translates to about 96 per cent of the total,” said Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) in its report to the committee.