Tempers Flare in Parliament as Murathe Shares KEMSA Evidence ¶
On Thursday, April 29, 2021, Jubilee Vice Chairman David Murathe appeared before the National Assembly Public Investments Committee (PIC) to clear his name in the ongoing KEMSA scandal investigations.
Murathe was accused of influencing the tender process and standing in as a signatory of Kilig Company, accusations he has denied. MPs and Murathe engaged in a shouting match, with politics and tribal accusations taking centre stage.
During the hearing, Murathe claimed that Kilig Limited had transferred its ownership to persons aligned with Deputy President William Ruto and that he did not benefit from the Ksh4 billion reportedly awarded to Kilig Ltd.
However, PIC Chairman Mvita MP Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir argued that Murathe's claims were unsubstantiated despite him presenting letters and other evidence to prove his allegations.
"This is the first time I have seen one company with different bank signatures. One by Murathe another by Ruto's associate. There is more than meets the eye here. I will write to the bank and KEMSA and ask them to provide all evidence as one of these letters indicates that Kilig revived the tender once it was cancelled," MP Nassir said.
Murate lost his cool, raised his voice and asked the MP to read all the letters and understand that once the tender was cancelled, he ceased to be a signatory.
Wajir East MP Rashid Kassim questioned Murathe's motives behind being a signatory, arguing that the Jubilee Vice-Chairman was economical with the truth.
MPs stated that Murathe was aware of the money involved and that he would not have been a signatory without having seen samples of the PEPs involved. They added that they wanted the matter cleared as Kilig had threatened to sue KEMSA over the scandal.
"It's very sad that some of us are treated as poster boys of the scandal. I have never supplied any mask and even my relatives are thinking I am a Covid billionaire. People are calling me asking me to give them money," Murathe lamented in his closing remarks, threatening to sue media houses that reportedly tarnished his name.
