Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has rubbished media reports indicating detectives raided his Nairobi and Mombasa homes over KSh 100 million irregular tender awards. Balala has been under the radar of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption for allegedly awarding the contract to a local company during American Society of Travel Agents Expo(ATSA) in 2017.The Standard had reported anti-corruption czars managed to recover crucial documents during the exercise conducted on Monday, February 11.
In a series of tweets on Friday, February 15, the former Mombasa Jubilee politician clarified the international expo was organised by ATSA Kenyan chapter. “No raids have taken place at my house as claimed by The Standard Newspaper today, the journalist was aware prior to publishing the report of the same.
No raids have taken place at my house as claimed by The Standard Newspaper today, the journalist was aware prior to publishing the report of the same. My legal team is handling the matter.
— Najib Balala (@tunajibu) February 15, 2019
My legal team is handling the matter,” he explained. Even though investigations have been ongoing for the last two years, Balala said his ministry has cooperated well and offered relevant documents to the ethics commission. He further claimed number of tourist arrivals from the USA doubled in 2018 with 225,000 visitors due to the partnership with travel agency.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, in his address during the 55th Madaraka Day celebrations at Kinoru Stadium in Meru on June 1, 2018, acknowledged the country was concentrated with the graft. ‘We all know from reading the headlines daily that corruption has also seeped into many other sectors of our society. We know of teachers who impregnate students. Preachers who swindle their flocks. Lawyers who defraud clients. Architects building houses using shortcuts leading to collapse of such buildings,” the president said.