Mega scandal or case of sour grapes in alleged Ruto hospital scam?

Public Investments Committee chairman Adan Keynan. [photo/file/standard]

The parliamentary Public Investment Committee (PIC) will analyse allegations of an alleged Sh28 billion hospital scandal, in which Deputy President William Ruto has been implicated, before determining whether it is worth probing.

PIC Chairman Adan Keynan (Eldas) yesterday said they would determine the veracity of the information given to them by businessman Hebert Ojwang’, before considering whether it meets the threshold for investigation by the watchdog team.

Keynan revealed they had demanded more information from Ojwang’, even as a committee member who declined to be named to avoid being seen as discussing a matter before the team against the House Standing Orders, said they would also consider the possibility of the allegations being a case of bitterness after Mr Ojwang’ lost the lucrative business opportunity.

Keynan said they will consider the allegations and determine the way forward “in the interest of public investment and determination on value for money in the multi-billion-shilling project”.

“We have asked the whistle-blower to provide us with more information. Once he brings (the information) we will look at the nature of the allegations and make a decision (on whether to proceed with the probe). We will analyse everything given to us to make an informed decision,” said Keynan.

Ojwang’ appeared before PIC last week where he alleged the ongoing procurement of a Sh28 billion contract for construction of a new referral hospital, only metres from the current Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), was a scandal which would see Kenyans fleeced of Sh11 billion.

NEW DEAL

He linked Deputy President William Ruto to the alleged scam, saying it was through his influence that a deal he was co-ordinating for upgrading of MTRH at a cost of Sh17 billion was taken away from him and a new deal for construction of a new facility mooted, which raised the expenditure to Sh28 billion.

But it is the admission by the businessman that he was to get five per cent (about Sh850 million) of the Sh17 billion project that has made some of the committee members cautious.

“We must be very careful so that the committee of Parliament is not used by the businessman to fight for his own interests. It could as well turn out his is only a case of sour grapes. Losing an opportunity to make Sh850 million, which he terms as modest, is not a thing anyone would not fight for,” said a committee member.