EACC Chair Philip Kinisu to appear before House team

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Philip Kinisu, who is expected to meet the National Assembly's Justice and Legal Affairs Committee on August 25, 2016. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE |

What you need to know:

  • Mr Ondieki backed his petition with documents from the EACC and the Registrar of Companies.
  • The Registrar of Companies also confirmed that Mr Kinisu has been an active shareholder and director of the company between January 2000 and April 19, 2016.

Embattled Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) chairman Philip Kinisu is on Thursday morning expected to meet the National Assembly's Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, which considering a petition for his removal.

Mr Kinisu has been under scrutiny after it was discovered that Esaki Ltd, where he was a director and shareholder, had dealings with the National Youth Service, which has been under investigation by the EACC.

The meeting comes a day after the committee met the petitioner, Albert Mokono Ondieki, and questioned his motives and timing in bringing up the matter so soon after Mr Kinisu took office.

Mr Ondieki produced a letter signed by commission secretary Halakhe Waqo, stating that Mr Kinisu did not declare a conflict of interest.

The Registrar of Companies confirmed that Mr Kinisu was a shareholder and director of the company between January 2000 and April 19, 2016.

“The EACC chairman ought to be subjected to disciplinary proceedings, which should be conducted under the Constitution and the relevant law,” said Mr Ondieki.

The MPs, however, questioned the relationship between Mr Ondieki and the EACC secretariat.

“This is a gentleman we recently vetted and it would have been useful to get this information at the time of vetting. Why didn’t you present it then?” asked Priscilla Nyokabi (Nyeri woman rep, TNA).

Meru Woman Representative Florence Kajuju argued it would be useful to find out whether there was a complaint to the Public Procurement Oversight Authority regarding the tender awarded to the chairman’s company and whether it was criminal for him to carry out business with a government agency.

“This is a serious petition that you brought and you must bring us more evidence if we are to ask Parliament to ask the President to form a tribunal,” she said.