President William Ruto has suspended high ranking officials in the Kenya Revenue Authority [KRA], Kenya Bureau of Standards [KEBS], National Police Service [NPS], Directorate of Criminal Investigations [DCI] and Agriculture and Food Authority [AFA]
In a list shared to safinews.co.ke on Wednesday 17th May, suspended officers from KRA are; Joseph Kaguru, Mwanja Masinde, Stephen Muiruri, Moses Okoth, Doris Mutembei, Chacha Hondo, Carol Nyagechi and Derrick Kago
The 27 list of officers from the above mentioned agencies sent home paving for investigations into grievous accusations of irregular and criminal release of condemned sugar by Kenya Bureau of Standards that had been earmarked for conversion into industrial ethanol
President also send packing Lt.Col(rtd) Bernard Njiraini, the Managing Director for KEBS, Dr Geoffrey Murira- Director Quality Assurance and Inspection, Hilda Keror-Manager Inspection, Mombasa Port Office, Liston Lagat- Assistant Manager, ICDN Nairobi,Rono Birgen Chief Manager- ICDN, Stephen Owuor-Principal Officer, Peter Olima Joseph-Inspector Mombasa- all from Kenya Bureau of Standards
The Head of State, through a letter signed by chief of staff and head of public service, Mr Felix Koskei, grounded George Mithano and Joel Kirui as well as Bernard Ngumbi and Raphael Mwaka from the National Police Service and Directorate of Criminal Investigation respectively
“It has since been established that the consignment was irregularly diverted and unprocedurally released. Further, the conditions relating to open and competitive enlisting of the distiller were breached and applicable taxes were not paid,’’ Letter from the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskey read.
The sugar comprising of 20,000 bags [each 50kg] had been imported into the country in the year 2018 and condemned by the quality assurance body, for want of expiry date specifications
KEBS condemned the consignment as unfit for human consumption and directed that the consignment be reshipped and destroyed at the owner’s cost
“In recognition of the unique mandate of the agencies as vanguards of public health and safety, it is manifest that some officers in the relevant agencies abdicated their responsibilities, at the risk of public harm.,’’ Part of the statement read.
The KEBS National Standards Council approved the destruction through conversion of the consignment for industrial ethanol use. The industrial ethanol conversion was to implemented under the joint supervision of KEBS and the National Environmental Management Authority, within a multi-agency framework
The condition precedent to the conversion were; involvement of all the concerned regulatory agencies; sourcing a distiller through an open and competitive tendering process; and securing payment of the applicable taxes and statutory fees
Others suspended from the Agriculture, Food Authority were Oscar Kai, Patrick Magut, Joseph Maita Mweni [Port Mombasa] Isacko Bonai [NEMA] Stephen Cheruiyot [Anti-counterfeit agency], Daniel Ngugi [KEPHIS} Wikky Koskey [EACC], AND Edwin Ruto [kpa]
The President has called upon all civil servants to uphold their civil duty at all times in the delivery of public good
“In taking responsibility, we raise the bar on the high standards of service that we must all hold ourselves to. In so doing, we ensure that the ethos of honesty, integrity and accountability are entrenched in every aspect of our work and national life