The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has launched investigations on top officials at the Ministry of Agriculture over claims of irregular withdrawal and payment of money.
Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri and his Principal Secretary Hamadi Boga are set for questioning following claims that the ministry irregularly paid Sh1.8 billion to a private firm owned by a coast businessman.
The EACC has since established that the money was withdrawn from the Strategic Food Reserve Trust accounts and paid to Commodity House Limited, on July 1 2019, without the approval of the oversight board.
According to EACC, the PS and CS are set for questioning, considering that they made the payment without basing it on any budget, with the ministry saying that it was payment for maize delivered to the National Cereal and Produce Board (NCPB).
CS Kiunjuri said the money was paid in adherence to a presidential order that all pending bills to suppliers be cleared within a month, adding that the issue about the legality of the withdrawal should be answered by the PS.
He added that the ministry was cleared by Treasury to make the payment, even as Strategic Food Reserve Trust chair Noah Wekesa says that the withdrawal of the money from the trust's accounts was done secretly.
“Your disclosure of the payment of Sh1.8 billion from the Strategic Food Reserve Trust Fund Central Bank Account to Commodity House without the board’s approval was against the law,” he told the Standard on Thursday.
Also set to be questioned is Mr Mohammed Jaffer, the owner of the company which was paid the money, with EACC CEO Twalib Mubarak confirming that the payment was made without any budget, hence the probe.