Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission CEO Halakhe Waqo hard pressed over graft claims

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) CEO Halakhe Waqo

Information, Communication and Technology PS nominee Victor Kyalo yesterday told MPs corruption allegations against him have weighed on his family.

Kyalo told MPs his son has particularly been unsettled by claims that he was illegally paid Sh1.6 million in gratuity. “I am deeply wounded over malicious allegations that are neither here nor there,” he said.

Kyalo spoke minutes after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) CEO Halakhe Waqo said investigations against the nominee had been completed and the matter cleared. “We hold nothing against this man that can stop him from proceeding with the exercise,” said Waqo.

Members of the committee questioned why Waqo wrote to Parliament on December 7, naming some nominees who had adversely been mentioned in some scandals and within two days, wrote another letter clearing all of them.

Waqo said some staff from Information and Communication Technology Authority (ICTA) lodged allegations against Kyalo and noted that the matter was duly investigated. “It is true that there had been an issue from his former workplace two years ago that he overpaid himself some money as he worked at the authority as acting director of ICTA,” said Waqo.

He said Kyalo was paid Sh 5.4 million in 2010. “The figure went to him in gross and our investigations show that he discovered the overpayment himself and wrote to the board to repay back the cash.”