Murathe grilled by EACC officers over alleged involvement in KEMSA scandal

Murathe grilled by EACC officers over alleged involvement in KEMSA scandal

Jubilee Party Vice Chairman David Murathe was on Friday afternoon grilled by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officers over alleged involvement in the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) COVID-19 supplies scandal.

Murathe arrived at the EACC offices in Madison House, Upper Hill, around 2pm, and spent close to four hours with the officers.

When he emerged, the former Gatanga MP reignited his war with Deputy President William Ruto urging the anti-corruption agency to also summon the DP over links to Kilig Limited, a company that has been adversely mentioned in the scandal.

“I said I have certain evidence of persons associated with DP who were linked with this famous company called Kilig. I know Wilbroad who is a partner in Kilig with Mr. Zu a Chinese partner and I know at some point when they were unable to secure financing for importation of the kits and they transferred there shareholding to persons who are known partners to Deputy President,” Murathe told reporters.

“So I came here to present that evidence today and I am expecting very soon that they are also will be calling the DP to make his statement in regards to what he knows  about the association with his partners with Kilig.”

Kiprono Kittony, the new Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) Board Chairperson, also went in for questioning on the same day at around 12pm while Priscilla Murungi, the wife of Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi, who was also expected did not show up. Sources however intimated to Citizen Digital that she will be grilled next week.

Ms. Murungi has been connected to a company known as Caperina Enterprises Limited which allegedly received Ksh.45 million for the supply of 10,000 boxes of surgical masks to KEMSA.

Murathe has been linked to Kilig Limited, a firm allegedly awarded Ksh.4 billion by KEMSA for the supply of 450,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Ksh.9,000 each.

The outspoken close ally of President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday acknowledged that Willbroad Gatei Gachoka, one of the directors of Kilig Limited, is his longtime friend and business partner.

He, however, maintained that he was not involved in any way in the multi-billion shillings tender awarded to Kilig Limited for the supply of COVID-19 kits despite his close relations with Gachoka.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s New Night show, Murathe described his connection with Willbroad Gatei Gachoka alias William as follows: “We are consultants. We do a lot of consultancy services. We have consulted for various international companies. We are setting up a lot of businesses in the free and special economic zones and we also consult for construction companies in the country.”

“He (Gachoka) is my friend. He is my partner. I have known him since childhood. We are family friends since childhood. I partner with William on a lot of issues but i have not partnered with him on this one (KEMSA tender),” said Murathe.

Murathe roped Deputy President William Ruto into the saga claiming that at the time the tender was being issued there was an attempt to transfer ownership of Kilig Limited to “known associates” of the DP.

“William Gachoka and his partner (Zhu Jinping) had transferred the shareholding of that company to known partners of Deputy President William Ruto and when they could not come through with the financing for the importation of the equipment it reverted back to the original partners through the lawyers,” Murathe alleged.

Murathe could not substantiate his claims but only stated: “We have the evidence. We have the transfers. If you want to find out go KCB and find out who are the account holders of Kilig Limited. You will find out they are known partners of the Deputy President William Ruto.”

DP Ruto has since rubbished Murathe’s claims, calling him out for claiming to be “consultants” with the director of Kilig Limited.

Tags:

COVID-19 DP William Ruto KEMSA scandal David Murathe Kilig Limited Priscilla Murungi

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