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Kinisu’s fate sealed as MPs recommend his sacking

By JOHN NJAGI August 31st, 2016 2 min read

A committee of MPs has recommended that the process of sacking Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Philip Kinisu should start.

Mr Kinisu said he was taking things “day by day”, after the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee asked MPs to sanction a tribunal to try and remove him from office over his company’s dealings with the National Youth Service.

“I have not read the report and cannot say anything about it. In the circumstances, you take things day by day,” Mr Kinisu said when contacted by Daily Nation.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, the formal process of removing him from office was triggered after MPs recommended President Uhuru Kenyatta forms tribunal to investigate him.

Mr Kinisu faces conflict of interest charges over involvement of his firm Esaki Ltd in questionable dealings with scandal hit National Youth Service (NYS) for which the firm was paid Sh35.4 million.

The chairman of the Justice and Legal Affairs Commission Mr Samuel Chepkonga (Ainabkoi MP) tabled its report recommending that Mr Kinisu face a tribunal, which will have 30 days to give its verdict, having favourably considered a petition for removal of the EACC boss filed by petitioner Albert Ondieki.

Should he be shown the door in the next one month, Mr Kinisu will be yet the shortest serving chairman of the anti-graft agency, a hot position that now appears jinxed following high turnover of former holders of the office, some swept aside by intrigues and forces fighting against corruption.

BUSINESS DEALINGS

Mr Kinisu has defended business dealings of the firm for whom he has stated he resigned as director, leaving its running to his wife and daughter.

But critics, including the parliamentary team, are of the view that as the head of the investigative body tasked with unearthing the NYS scandal, Mr Kinisu is not the right man to lead such a process.

Apart from recommendations to form a tribunal, the committee of 29 members also resolved to have the president suspend the chairperson, pending the determination of the tribunal.

The committee, however, appeared to have been divided on whether to recommend removal for the EACC boss. Eight MPs, mostly from the opposition Cord coalition, opposed his removal, with only one Jubilee MP joining the camp.

Mr Kinisu’s predecessor Mumo Matemu, was also forced to resign rather than face a tribunal and had to leave with two other commissioners, including his vice chairperson.

In the current case, other commissioners have actually supported decision to remove their boss from office, a position that has also been gotten the backing of EACC Chief Executive Officer Halakhe Waqo.

Other former EACC bosses who have left the position under a cloud of controversy include renowned lawyer Patrick Lumumba, Justice Aaron Ringera and former Kilome MP Harun Mwau.