Maize cartels who profiteered from the scandal at National Cereals and Produce Board will finally be questioned after the cry and protests by maize farmers have been loud, attracting the attention of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who only last week publicly gave a tongue lashing to his Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri to either act, and do so swiftly, or face the consequences over the scandal.
Mr Kiunjuri yesterday asked Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to immediately commence the prosecution of those who have been receiving undue payments that should have gone to farmers.
He also said that that 152 people, mainly NCPB officials and unscrupulous traders, were under investigation and faced possible prosecution. Infiltrated the process Those targeted are accused of having connived with the NCPB officials, infiltrated the process, as there was hardly vetting conducted, and taken advantage of the poor recording systems to swindle in excess of Sh2 billion using fictitious figures of bags that they pretended to have delivered in silos. Yesterday, Kiunjuri revealed the cartel claimed to have remitted two million 50kg bags of the overall 6.52 million bags delivered to NCPB.
“It is interesting to note that they were paid between 63 per cent to 90 per cent of their delivered quantities by December 2017, amounting to Sh2.053 billion, and are claiming an additional Sh1.47 billion,” he said. Kiunjuri pleaded his innocence, saying the bulk of the contentious payments were made while he had not assumed the docket. “If I will be implicated in the scandal, then I will resign,” said Kiunjuri. The Cabinet Secretary said those who orchestrated the scandal must be prosecuted to bring closure an issue that has caused farmers pain and anguish.
While at a Press briefing at his Kilimo House yesterday, Kiunjuri blamed the investigative arms, EACC and DCI, over the “slow manner” in which they had handled the mega scandal. He complained that months after the matter came to the limelight, those responsible had not been prosecuted. President’s directive “The President is understandably disappointed. I am frustrated and disappointed too. This matter needs to be put to rest. I have forwarded all the information that I forwarded in March to the two investigative institutions for them to take the necessary action,” he said.?
Kiunjuri added: “I urge the EACC and the DCI, I wish I could direct you, to expedite this process in compliance with the President’s directive for the truth to come out and to clear the cloud surrounding this matter.” The CS, who has suffered the humiliation of the President’s dress-down over the scandal, said those who held office before him should take responsibility. Willy Bett was the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary before Kiunjuri. Kiunjuri, indicating he did not have the full knowledge of the scandal that has seen much of the Sh9,498,879,271 so far paid for the maize delivered questioned, said Sh7 billion was paid out before he assumed office.