Controversial Deals by Ruto Cabinet Secretaries in 2023
Numerous individuals in President William Ruto’s Cabinet are facing scrutiny for their participation in contentious transactions, leading to public condemnation and demands for their removal.
Here, we investigate some of the most disputed matters concerning the individuals appointed by Ruto.
The Edible Oil Scandal
In June this year, Moses Kuria, the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, encountered severe backlash after a local media outlet published an exposé about him.
The inquiry unveiled that the Trade Ministry, under the leadership of CS Kuria, was implicated in reportedly granting a cooking oil contract to specific individuals thought to have close ties to the CS.
A file unveiled in the National Assembly and obtained by the media revealed that the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) directly selected companies to handle the importation of 125,000 metric tons of edible oil.
The businesses secured contracts worth Ksh.8.12 billion and Ksh.1.33 billion, respectively.
Customs department records also indicated that KNTC was not required to pay taxes and charges in these contentious transactions.
The Ksh17 Billion Fuel Consignment Scandal
In the middle of November, public attention focused on Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and his Transport counterpart Kipchumba Murkomen due to their involvement in a scandal worth Ksh17 billion, which implicated businesswoman Ann Njeri Njoroge.
Busia senator and activist Okiya Omtatah spearheaded the effort, calling for the clarification of the involvement of the two Cabinet Secretaries in the fuel consignment agreement.
Omtatah implied a potential rift between the Cabinet Secretaries and the businesswoman, leading to what he characterized as a sour disagreement.
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Conflicting statements emerged when CS Chirchir asserted that the oil was the property of a particular company.
Amid the dispute, CS Chirchir acknowledged instructing Ann Njeri to provide a statement to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) following her complaint about the government confiscating the shipment.
Cliff Ombeta, the attorney representing Ann Njeri, claimed that she owned the shipment and accused the government of taking it illegally before her abduction.
Ann Njeri, who asserted that her life was in danger, was ultimately freed after being cleared of any culpability.
Controversial Deals by Ruto Cabinet Secretaries in 2023
