National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich appeared before investigators on Tuesday morning following a formal summons related to the alleged mismanagement of Sh20 billion in two disputed dam projects in Elgeyo-Marakwet County.
Rotich, who arrived at Nairobi's Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) under cover of darkness, remained in custody for over six hours as officials probed his role in authorizing payments to firms linked to the Kimwarer and Arror dam projects. The investigation focuses on allegations of kickbacks and improper land allocation procedures involving the Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA).
The CS defended his actions in a newspaper advertisement, stating that Sh19.8 billion had been disbursed by year-end 2018 for the projects. This contradicted Deputy President William Ruto's earlier claim of only Sh7 billion paid out. Rotich argued the funds were pre-construction fees required under contractual obligations.
KVDA's managing director, David Kimosop, and multiple board members are also under investigation. The state corporation, which contracted Italian firms CMC di Ravenna and Itinera for the dams, faces scrutiny over alleged irregularities in tender processes and land resettlement operations.
