The reports that Sh21 billion allocated to Arror and Kimwarer dams has been lost were strongly refuted by Deputy President William Ruto .
While speaking at the Supreme Court during the release of the state of the Judiciary report, Ruto stated that the money in question is about 7 billion and every coin has been accounted for.
He stated that there was also a bank guarantee on the monies and emphasized that under the Jubilee administration, no funds will be lost.
“You have heard for example that the government has lost Sh21 billion in the Arror and Kimwarer dams which is a flat lie. The money on question is about Sh7billion and for every coin that has been paid, we have a bank guarantee,” he stated.
Over 100 people were summoned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for questioning over the controversy said to have cost the tax payer billions of monies in dubious deals.
“And therefore the correct information must be used as we target the war on corruption so that we can nail the true suspects,” Ruto stated.
“Sometimes when we say Sh9 billion has been lost and then when we go to court it is Sh100 million, the public is asking, what happened to Sh8.1 billion and we shoot ourselves in the foot. The correct information must be used as we target the fight against corruption so that we can reel in the true culprits.”
DCI boss George Kinoti listed 27 companies and their more than 100 directors, whom he wants questioned over the controversial dams said to have cost the tax payer billions of money in dubious deals.
This came days after several high-ranking government officials – including Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich – were questioned over the scandal.
Companies listed include Silent Night (Kenya) Limited, Red Court Hotel Company Ltd, Azimath, Infinity Furniture, Charleston Travel, Oshwal Wholesalers, Mutual Registrars and New Italycor Limited among others.
Kinoti said directors of the companies are required to provide quotations, invoices, delivery notes and other relevant documents related to the contracts for the construction of the two dams and other related works.
Other companies are Express Travel Group, Travel Group, Samtab Electrical and Hardware Supplies, Thermoteq Industries, Thermoteq Prefab Houses Limited, Jupiter Real Limited, Amin Automotive Supplies, Highlands Valuers Limited, Adrian-Tricom Kenya Limited and Steel Structures Limited.
The construction was scheduled to commence in December 2017 for the production of hydro-electricity and irrigation in the region to mitigate perennial challenges of drought, boost food production and increase electricity megawatts to the national grid.
Police have confirmed that in the course of investigations, Cabinet Secretaries Simon Chelugui (Water), Eugene Wamalwa (Devolution) and Mwangi Kiunjuri of Agriculture and their Principal Secretaries as well as officials in the Procurement and Accounts departments will be questioned to determine their roles, if any, in the tender awards or general dealings with the listed companies or their directors.
Already, Kinoti has dispatched a team of investigators to Rome, Italy to speak to officials of CMC Di Ravenna, the main company awarded the dams construction tender.