A report tabled before the Senate recommends that Matiangi who was the CS for Education be held responsible and further investigated and if found guilty, prosecuted for occasioning loss of Sh1.5bn/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 9 – The Senate County Public Accounts and Investments Committee wants action taken against Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi, Education PS Belio Kipsang and Muhammad Swazuri over the Ruaraka land scandal.
A report tabled before the Senate recommends that Matiangi – who was the CS for Education at the time – be held responsible and further investigated and if found guilty, prosecuted for occasioning the loss of Sh1.5 billion.
On Principal Secretary Kipsang, the Senators want him to take responsibility for ignoring recommendations of a report of Quality Assurance and Standards Assessment, which established that the land on which Ruaraka High School was built was public land but went ahead with the acquisition.
The report further calls on the Director of Criminal Investigations and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate National Land Commission Chairman Swazuri for causing loss of public funds that was part payment for acquiring 13.7701 acres for Drive-In Primary School and Ruaraka High School, contrary to the principles of public finance.
The Lands Ministry was also not spared, as the Senators questioned why it did not conclude issuance of the title deed.
“Carry out investigations as to why the Ministry of Lands failed to conclude the issuance of title deed to Ruaraka High School and register government interest on the land prior to 2012,” reads part of the report.
The Director of Valuation and Taxation Salome Munumbi was also put on the spot as Senators asked the DCI to investigate her for misleading the National Lands Commission on the amount of compensation to be paid for land for the schools of Sh4.4 million (15pc statutory disturbance allowance) which was not applicable at the time of valuation as per the repealed Land Acquisition Act, Cap 295.
The 67-page document touched on the schools’ security calling on government agencies to protect students, pupils and teachers of Ruaraka High School and Drive-In Primary from harassment.
The report will be debated Thursday on the floor of the House and if adopted, the investigatory agencies will be expected to take the recommended action.
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