'Chickengate' report to be submitted in parliament

Anti-graft agency officials yesterday promised MPs that the report on the 'Chickengate' scandal would be ready in 30 days.

The scandal involving officials of the defunct Interim Independent Electoral Commission and the examination council, who allegedly received bribes from Smith and Ouzman in exchange for a multi-million-shilling contract to print ballot papers, has been under investigation for the last two years.

This came up yesterday as the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly asked for official documents that would buttress the case to send the current commissioners of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) home.

During a meeting with EACC top officials at Parliament Buildings, the MPs said the case had to be concluded so that it is "determined once and for all if people ate chicken or not".

"You have been on this matter for too long. We need a new deadline and you have to stick to it," said committee Chairman Samuel Chepkonga.

EACC CEO Halakhe Waqo, his deputy Michael Mubea and other directors told the MPs that they had finally received all the documents from the investigators in the UK. "We will do our best to finalise the report within the next 30 days," said Mr Mubea.