Reprieve for Kimemia as graft claims rejected

Parliamentary Committee on Administration and National Security approved the nomination of Mr Francis Kimemia (above) as Cabinet Secretary May 28, 2013. PHOTO/FILE 

By  CAROLINE WAFULA cwafula@ke.nationmedia.com
Tuesday, May 28  201 

 

A parliamentary committee has disregarded a letter from the anti-corruption commission, advising against Mr Francis Kimemia’s clearance for Secretary to the Cabinet post.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) had written to the committee on Administration and National Security that vetted Mr Kimemia, raising issues touching on his integrity with regard to two corruption cases.

EACC had accused Mr Kimemia of blocking the suspension of a former Kenya Airports Authority managing director and the Foreign Affairs PS over the Sh56 billion Greenfield Terminal Project at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the purchase of the Tokyo Embassy property, respectively.

But according to the House committee, investigations into the two matters were still at a preliminary stage and it was therefore difficult to draw conclusions on Mr Kimemia’s integrity.

In a report tabled before Parliament yesterday afternoon, the committee says the commission’s letter linking Mr Kimemia to ‘mega corruption’ was based on suspicion.

The report adds that the commission had no objection to Mr Kimemia being appointed as the Secretary to the Cabinet.

“The EACC was at the point of cautioning the committee that the commission was suspicious of Mr Kimemia’s actions as far as the suspension of the two officers was concerned,” it says.

It argues that EACC chief-executive Halakhe Waqo had clearly indicated in his presentation that the letter sent to the committee was for cautionary and advisory purposes but not to depict Mr Kimemia as guilty or culpable.

The parliamentary team which presented its report after holding nine sittings says decisions made by the Cabinet on the manner in which the JKIA Greenfield Terminal Project and the Tokyo property purchase were to be handled were beyond Mr Kimemia’s control.

Earlier, a member of the committee told Nation that the anti-corruption agency was unable to conclusively advise the committee against recommending Mr Kimemia’s appointment.

In its findings, the 29-member committee chaired by Mr Asman Kamama (Tiati MP) says Mr Kimemia has the necessary qualifications and has vast experience in the public service which qualifies him for the position.

It says the nominee has risen through the ranks progressively, from a DO to his current position as Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet. “Mr Kimemia has never been implicated in any scandal,” the report says in the findings that will be debated by Parliament.

In the Monday meeting, Mr Waqo told the committee that the commission had a responsibility to advise and enforce the law where necessary hence its decision to write to Parliament.
He said the advisory was provided in good faith.