Ex Transport CS Michael Kamau’s woes deepen as witness testifies against misuse of office case
Engineer Abdul Rashid Sheikh Mohamed who was formerly in the Ministry of Transport has testified today on how the re-designing of the Kamukuywa-Kaptama-Kapsokwony-Sirisia Road led to the loss of Sh33 million.
Engineer Abdul Rashid Sheikh Mohamed while testifying against ex Transport Cabinet Secretary Engineer Michael Kamau, stated that under procurement law, for a project to increase in price by 25 per cent, it should be re-advertised which in this case was not done.
He further testified that he took over the project after the redesigning had been sanctioned by his predecessor.
Chief Magistrate Elizabeth Juma heard that the re-designing led to variations in tender costs and further acquisition of land.
Kamau’s two co-accused Mwangi Maingi and Nicholas Ng’ang’a however presented themselves to court and were charged with abuse of office and giving misleading documents in relation to the re-design of the road which is located in Bungoma county.
According to the charge sheet, the CS then was the senior official at the ministry of roads between 2007 and 2008, arbitrarily authorized the redesigning of the road when it had already been done by Engiconsult Limited at the cost of Sh33,303,600 thereby subjecting the public to pay twice.
Maingi was alleged to have abused his office between July 2007 and March 2008 when he was the chief engineer for roads while Ng’ang’a was the resident engineer.
Immediate former President Uhuru Kenyatta suspended Kamau from his ministerial position in 2015 and was charged in court with abuse of office.
Kamau was accused that while serving in the Ministry of Roads as permanent secretary, he and the ministerial tender committee re-designed the road inappropriately, leading to the loss of Sh33 million.
The case is fixed for a further hearing on November 16,2022.
