Head of Public Service Felix Koskei Orders Suspension of 6 CEOs, 67 Police Officers

State House Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has directed the suspension of 6 Chief Executive Officers, 67 police officers, and an accountant at the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) over alleged involvement in corruption and procurement irregularities.  

State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed in a statement on Thursday, November 16 said Koskei issued the directive following recommendations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). 

“In issuing the directives, the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service emphasizes that the Government remains firm in its commitment to eradicating corruption which, he maintains, undermines its development agenda,” the statement read in part.

Hussein noted that EACC has written to the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, Zachariah Njeru, recommending the suspension of Tanathi Water Works Development Agency CEO Fredrick Mwamati.

Mwamati is under investigation for procurement irregularities in the award of a tender for the construction of a Leather Industrial Park Water Supply Project.

The State House Spokesperson also noted that the commission has written to Labour and Social Protection CS Florence Bore and asked her to suspend, the Director-General of the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) Stephen Ogenga for alleged procurement irregularities in the award of a tender for supplies at the authority.

Similarly, the commission has written to the Board of the National Museums of Kenya to suspend, the Acting Director-General Stanvas Ong’alo, for alleged embezzlement of KSh490 million through irregular payments.

Other CEOs whom EACC has recommended be suspended include Huduma Centre Secretariat CEO Benjamin Chumo and Bomas of Kenya CEO Peter Koria.

Similarly, EACC has written to the Director-General of KeRRA, Engineer Philemon Kandie, to suspend Esther Wanjiru Chege, an accountant at the institution, for alleged conflict of interest and possession of unexplained wealth.

EACC further called for the suspension of Eng. Anthony Wamukota, the General Manager of Design and Construction at Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO), for alleged procurement irregularities related to the construction contract of the 400KV Loiyangalani Power Project.

Hussein additionally pointed out that, the commission has written to the Inspector-General of Police, Japhet Koome, asking him to suspend 67 police officers implicated in corruption-related malpractices.