Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich remained under intense scrutiny as detectives interrogated him for a full day on March 5, 2019, over allegations of mismanaging Sh63 billion in public funds tied to two stalled infrastructure projects. The investigation centers on Italian firm CMC di Ravenna, which secured contracts for the Itare Dam in Nakuru County and the Arror-Kimwerer multipurpose dams but abandoned both after declaring bankruptcy.
Rotich, who has been a central figure in the National Treasury since 2013, was questioned at DCI headquarters on Kiambu Road, a stark contrast to his previous interrogation at his Nairobi residence. Investigators sought answers about why Sh7 billion allocated for the Elgeyo-Marakwet project remained unspent and why performance bonds had not been cashed despite the company’s collapse. DCI Director George Kinoti confirmed Rotich would return for further questioning the next morning.
The scandal has drawn national attention due to the scale of financial losses. While the DCI estimates Sh21 billion may have been lost, Rotich previously cited Sh20 billion in a newspaper ad. Officials acknowledged that earthmovers had yet to begin work on the dams 14 months after funds were disbursed. Kinoti emphasized the need to identify which banks hold performance bonds and how to recover taxpayer money if projects fail.
President Uhuru Kenyatta defended the investigation, framing it as a broader fight against corruption rather than a personal attack. "This is not a war against an individual or a community, but a war against a crime that robs us the opportunity to build a nation," he stated during a devolution conference. Meanwhile, Deputy President William Ruto criticized the DCI’s findings, disputing the Sh21 billion figure and accusing investigators of political bias.
Other officials under scrutiny include Water CS Simeon Chelugui, Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri, and former Cabinet Secretaries Judi Wakhungu and Eugene Wamalwa. Investigators face challenges in locating CMC di Ravenna’s Italian directors, who have refused to cooperate. Chelugui outlined three potential resolutions for the stalled projects: continuing with CMC, assigning work to a new contractor, or terminating the contract entirely.
