Detectives grill EACC boss Philip Kinisu

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) chairman Philip Kinisu in Nairobi on July 19, 2016. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Kinisu’s wife, Mary, a director of the company, is also expected to have a separate session with investigators.
  • Mr Kinisu owns Esaki Limited with his wife and their daughter Caroline Neto.
  • The DCI is part of a multi-agency team investigating the Kinisu family’s business dealings with the NYS and the Ministry of Health.

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Philip Kinisu presented himself for grilling on Monday morning at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters over his family company's transactions with the National Youth Service.

Mr Kinisu was summoned to shed light on how his family's firm, Esaki Limited, won government tenders worth millions of shillings.

“We have invited him to come over tomorrow [Monday] and tell us more about Esaki and its business with various state agencies,” said Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro.

Mr Kinisu’s wife, Mary, a director of the company, is also expected to have a separate session with investigators.

The DCI is part of a multi-agency team investigating the Kinisu family’s business dealings with the National Youth Service (NYS) and the Ministry of Health.

Last week, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) boss confirmed that Esaki was paid Sh35 million by the NYS during the period the agency was faced with the Sh791 million scandal that claimed the jobs of top officials at the Ministry of Devolution.

'NO' CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The EACC is still investigating the NYS scandal, but Mr Kinisu defended himself, saying he does not see any possible conflict of interest should the investigations touch his company.

“Is it wrong for any Kenyan to do business with government? My wife has worked hard for these contracts and it is bad to demonise her for it,” he said at a press conference last Tuesday.

Mr Kinisu blamed his problems on powerful “crooks” that he did not name.

He said his agency is investigating 7,000 corruption cases, some of them “high-profile”.

He also blamed internal schemes by officials opposed to his planned vetting of all staff at the agency.

Mr Kinisu owns Esaki Limited with his wife and their daughter Caroline Neto.

However, Mr Kinisu said he is no longer involved in the day-to-day running of the business, which is now fully run by his wife.

Meanwhile, sources at the EACC also say that the commissioners at the agency were unhappy with Mr Kinisu’s leadership style, which they called overbearing.

The sources claim the commissioners accuse their boss of not being a team player.

(Additional reporting by Kipchumba Some, Editing by Joel Muinde)