Members of Parliament on Thursday revealed what could turn out into one of the major scandals in the recent past. The lawmakers revealed that the state paid Sh4.5 billion for maize from Mexico, which was never delivered.
Standard reports that the legislators alluded that out of the Sh11.6 billion paid by the government to import maize, only Sh.7 billion of maize was delivered from the foreign nation.
It remains unclear how the rest of the amount was used or who pocketed the same. It also remains a mystery on whether the maize was delivered by local individuals or it was imported from Mexico as claimed.
The decision to import maize was reached in 2017 after the nation suffered an acute shortage of the same. This was after the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) has distanced itself from the alleged importation of the maize.
While appearing before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), NCPB Operations Manager John Kanyaa said that he was only tasked with paying the logistics officers and nothing else during the importation of the maize.
In March 2017, Kenyans questioned how maize arrived from Mexico in three days. PAC Chairman Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja) asked the government officials behind the importation to shed more light on the same.
The committee also comprises of MPs Jessica Mbalu (vice-chairperson), Florence Mutua (Busia), Junet Mohammed (Suna East), Kuria Kimani (Molo), Otiende Amollo (Rarieda) and Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu).
“Did NCPB import air because it seems maize worth over Sh4 billion was not delivered?” wondered Wandayi.
Junet also raised the same concern after the new details emerged.Wandayi said that something sinister could have happened behind the scenes before the maize was brought into the public domain.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuru is yet to address the claims.