The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) maize scandal has taken a new twist following probe into the Sh 5.6 billion maize scandal. Did these farmers supply air?
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has blacklisted 62 farmers and companies that supplied maize to National Cereals and Produce Board last year.
In a letter to the Strategic Food Reserve Trust Fund that was tabled yesterday before a parliamentary committee, EACC said the 62 were “persons and entities of interest” and were under investigation.
Among the individuals who have been blacklisted is Celestine Chepchirchir who supplied 219,236 bags of maize to the NCPB depot in Eldoret. She was expecting to be paid Sh385,734,006.
Another is Stephen Kiprob Maiyo who supplied 144,955 bags to the Kitale stores. He was demanding Sh255,048,485 from NCPB.
Caroline Chepchumba supplied 126,962 bags to the Kisumu depot and was expecting to be paid Sh223,383,501. She has been blacklisted as well as Paul Kipyego Marus who delivered 68,622 to Ziwa depot. Marus has been asking for Sh120,738,882.
Others are Alice Wanjiku Githaiga who delivered 50,993 to Bungoma depot and Shem Maina Ithangu who supplied 34,121 bags to Moi’s Bridge depot. They are asking for Sh98,672,202 and Sh59,990,735 respectively.
The companies that are under investigation include New Progressive FCS that supplied 84,826 to Eldoret depot at a cost of Sh149,247,892, Oldonyo Nairasha Estate which supplied 28,499 bags at a cost of Sh50,617,015, Sosiani FCS that delivered 16,152 bags at a cost of Sh28,346,160 and Ndovu Estate that supplied 15,951 bags to the Narok depot at a cost of Sh28,329,971.
Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri yesterday told the National Assembly’s Agriculture committee that of the 152 individuals whose names were forwarded for investigation, 62 were found to have some “issues.” They will not be paid.
Kiunjuri told the committee chaired by Mandera South MP Adan Haji that Sh2.1 billion will be released by Treasury in two or three days to offset the pending balance owed to maize farmers.
The ministry wrote to the EACC and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in March inviting the agencies to investigate payments for maize deliveries.
On August 31, a number of senior officials were charged with irregular purchase of maize worth Sh5.6 billion. They include Agriculture PS Richard Lesiyampe, former NCPB managing director Andrew Terer and NCPB finance manager Cornel Kiprotich.
Meanwhile, members of the committee rejected the price of Sh2,300 per 90 Kg bag set by the government on Monday.
Wasted maize: CS Kiunjuri blames old silos, mismanagement at NCPB for rotten maize. Meanwhile, an MP from the maize-growing region questions the Ksh. 2,300 price tag. #NTVTonight pic.twitter.com/ddxHSaknI6
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) November 6, 2018
The MPs said they will not accept a price below Sh2,800. They included Emmanuel Wangwe, Silas Tiren, Leonard Yegon, Gabriel Kago, Mwirigi Paul, Yussuf Adan, Francis Waititu, Janet Sitienei, Daniel Tuitoek, Justus Murunga, Alfred Keter and Ferdinard Wanyonyi.
Embattled Kiunjuri has been asked by the public to step down as probe into the scandals goes on, but do you think he could be held accountable?