Two parliamentary committees have opened a probe into the Sh17 billion fuel consignment claimed by businesswoman Ann Njeri, with a team expected to quizz her today.
Ms Njeri is expected to appear before the National Assembly’s Energy Committee today to respond to various queries and to provide details on the ownership and country of origin of the fuel that has put the government and the opposition at loggerheads.
Similarly, the National Assembly’s Finance and National Planning committee said it will probe the alleged illegal withdrawal of Sh17 billion from the Consolidated Fund, which Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah said was meant to pay for fuel subsidies.
“The committee is now seized of this matter and we have opened an inquiry. We will be meeting with all stakeholders starting with Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u and his Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo next Tuesday,” said committee vice-chairperson Benjamin Lang’at (Ainamoi, UDA).
The inquiry by the committee chaired by Molo MP Kuria Kimani follows claims by Mr Omtatah and backed by opposition leader Raila Odinga that the government financed Ms Njeri in the Sh17 billion fuel saga.
Mr Omtatah claimed that the government, through Prof Ndung’u, authorised the withdrawal of Sh17.2 billion from the Consolidated Fund to subsidise a private enterprise. According to him, the private enterprise that was financed by the taxpayer’s money was Ms Njeri’s firm.
On Monday, Mr Odinga demanded the resignation and prosecution of Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and Prof Ndung’u over the fuel scandal. He claimed that the two Cabinet secretaries had committed criminal offenses, abused office and gone against the constitution.
According to a media invite sent out by the Energy committee yesterday, Ms Njeri is expected to appraise the MPs on the ownership details of the consignment, county of origin and intended destination of the consignment, among other issues.
Committee chairperson Vincent Musyoka (Mwala) did not respond to our calls and text messages to explain the matters they need clarified and whether they will government officials will be invited.
However, Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo, who is a member of the committee, told the Nation that the team will seek to get more information from Ms Njeri regarding the importation of the fuel. He said they would also be seeking to know whether the businesswoman possesses authentic documents for the fuel.
“Basically, we just want to know from her whether she has original documents of the importation or not. Our conversation with her will give us more details regarding the matter,” Mr Odhiambo said.
The MP added that based on the information the committee will get from Ms Njeri in today’s session, it will decide whether to call other witnesses over the matter.
According to the lawmaker, the committee’s investigations will not in any way interfere with the one currently being undertaken by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
“We operate like the High Court. We will just do our work,” Mr Odhiambo said.
Ms Njeri has been in the limelight for claiming the 100,000 tonnes of diesel valued at Sh17 billion, but which government officials claim belongs to Galana Energies Limited.
The standoff has brought more scrutiny and criticism on the government-to-government fuel deal that Kenya struck with two Gulf countries, with questions as to who is behind the consignment that one of the parties claims is short-circuiting the agreement.
