MP wants EACC boss Philip Kinisu to step aside

Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter has called for fresh vetting of commissioners of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) after the commission’s chair’s family company was listed as having transacted with the National Youth Service (NYS).

Keter said that the commission, as currently constituted, does not instill faith in Kenyans in the execution of its mandate and the war on corruption.

“There is a lot of rot in EACC and Kenyans have lost faith in the commission. How can they investigate other institutions when the chair is also being probed on multi-million tenders he won from the government.”

He faulted EACC for clearing Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chair Ahmed Issack Hassan over the chicken gate scandal saying probe into the bribery allegations against the electoral body chair was ‘shoddy’.

“We need an EACC that commands faith among Kenyans. The commission should have individuals who are credible and efficient to up the fight on corruption,” said Keter in an interview with Citizen Digital on Tuesday.

The legislator further called on EACC chair Philip Kinisu to step aside to allow investigations into issues raised against him and a company associated with him.

He said that, even if Kinisu is not guilty of the offence, stepping aside will be a sign of goodwill and will give investigating bodies ample time to unravel the basis of the allegations.

The EACC chair’s family is said to have won tenders the NYS through its company – Esaki Company Ltd.

It is reported that Esaki, which is run by Kinisu’s wife Mary, received Ksh 35.4 million from Devolution Ministry in the last three and a half years; Ksh 32,360,400 in 2014 and Ksh 3,085,900 in 2015.

Kinisu presented himself for grilling at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Monday morning to shed light on how the family company acquired the tenders.

The DCI is part of a multi-agency team investigating the matter.

Kinisu has admitted to having received payment from NYS stating that he would not resign since it was not illegal for his company to do business with the government.

He attributed his woes to high-placed individuals whose cases are under investigation by EACC.

@benjaminwafula