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State House boss summoned over Keter rant

Statehouse Comptroller Lawrence Lenayapa is among those invited to record statements with the EACC. Photo/ COURTESY

Statehouse Comptroller Lawrence Lenayapa is among those invited to record statements with the EACC. Photo/ COURTESY

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 27 – Statehouse Comptroller Lawrence Lenayapa, Tiaty MP Asman Kamama and Nakuru County commissioner Osman Warfa will be required to appear before the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over last weekend’s altercation involving Nandi Hills Member of Parliament Alfred Keter.

The commission has already sent out letters to the three to appear on Thursday this week to record statements, after Keter was seen in a video clip invoking their names in an attempt to secure the release of a truck belonging to nominated MP Sunjeev Birdi at the Gilgil weighbridge.

“The Ethics and Anti-Corruption commission is investigating a matter touching on the conduct of Hon. Alfred Keter, MP Nandi Hills Constituency and Hon. Sunjeev Kaur Birdi (Nominated) on 24th January 2015 at Gilgil Weighbridge along Nairobi-Nakuru Highway. The Commission would like to seek clarification from you and record a statement regarding the incident,” reads part of the letter.

In the video, Keter accuses the weighbridge officers of ignoring calls from the three and in a show of might tells the officers they are the ‘government’.

State House has denied any involvement of its officers in the matter after Keter claimed that Lenayapa called the weighbridge officers but they had refused to pick his calls.

READ: I had to do what I did, no apology – MP Keter

A statement from State House after the video footage went viral said: “The Presidency has never, does not and will never support or condone corruption, extortion or abuse of power by any State or public officer. The Presidency condemns the incident where several public and/or State officers are alleged to have abused their power and exerted undue pressure on officers lawfully going about their duties in order to evade due process,” said part of the statement

“We remind everyone that there is a sound public interest in enforcing axle load regulations without exception. We also have obligations to regional States in this connection,” it went on to state.

The embattled Nandi Hills MP is represented by lawyer Okongo Omogeni.

Omogeni who accompanied Keter to the commission’s offices to record his statement said his client honoured summons by the institution but will record his version of events at a later date.

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“We have met the officers of the commission… we have raised the fundamental issues that we need to be clarified so we have adjourned the session to another date,” said Omogeni.

The commission has since set the meeting with Keter for between January 28 and 29, while Birdi will record her statement Wednesday morning.

Keter has maintained his innocence saying he will not apologise over the exchange as it was necessary as he was fighting for the ‘rights’ of truck drivers who spend days on end waiting for clearance at the weighbridges and who according to him, have to part with bribes in order to hasten the process.

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