This archive report was first published on 22 August 2019.
Published on August 22, 2019, officials of the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) have accused the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) of engaging in economic sabotage through unending graft investigations.
The LBDA officials claim that the EACC's actions have scared away investors and hindered the mall's operations, which was completed in 2016 but has not been operational since.
LBDA Chairman Cavince Owidi told the Senate Devolution Committee that the EACC was acting maliciously, using threats of arrests to intimidate officials and create fear among staff.
Owidi challenged the EACC to charge anyone it has evidence against, instead of making claims that result in bad publicity for the agency.
The LBDA took a loan of Sh2.5 billion from Co-Operative Bank to put up the mall, with a title deed to the authority's land being held as collateral.
The loan accrues Sh30 million in monthly interests, and the mall is expected to raise Sh230 million annually, which would be enough to cover the authority's recurrent expenditure.
However, EACC Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak rubbished claims that the investigations have kept away tenants from the mall, stating that LBDA is to blame for the mall's lack of tenants.
