24 February 2010
Nairobi — A new managing director has taken over at the National Cereals and Produce Board as all the twenty-two top management positions are declared vacant.
Mr Alfred Osolo Tabu Wednesday took over from the suspended MD Prof Gideon Misoi, who was implicated in the maize scandal.
Mr Tabu was formerly at the Kenya Seed company before his current appointment. Prof Misoi handed over on Tuesday as a flurry of meetings took place at the parastatal headquarters.
Public Relations manager Mr Evans Wasike said all employees in those positions declared vacant will re-apply afresh in an effort to inject fresh blood.
"The new MD have just arrived and handing over is due to take place. Give the new managers time to settle and the MD will certainly address the media," Mr Wasike said.
A week ago, top Government officials were sent home pending further investigations into their roles in corruption schemes that have cost taxpayers billions of shillings.
Permanent secretaries Romano Kiome (Agriculture), Ali Mohammed (Special Programmes), Mohammed Isahakia (Prime Minister's office), Karega Mutahi (Education), and the PM's Administrative Secretary Caroli Omondi were suspended as the Government yielded to pressure to act.
Also sent packing were the managing director of National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), Gideon Misoi, Sales and Marketing Manager, James Cheruiyot Boit, and General Manager of the Board Robert Langat, who is on suspension.
President Kibaki directed that permanent secretaries and the officials step aside for 90 days to allow for proper, independent and accurate investigations into the costly scandals. The Government officials were adversely mentioned in the Subsidised Maize Scheme Audit Report and the Free Primary Education Programme.
Dr Isahakia and Mr Omondi had earlier called the media to announce they were stepping aside of their own volition although it came to be known that Prime Minister Raila Odinga asked them to step aside pending investigations.
Mr Odinga also suspended Ministers William Ruto (Agriculture) and Prof Sam Ongeri (Education) but President Kibaki annulled the action few hours later.
The Head of State took a swipe at Mr Odinga when opening Parliament on Tuesday, saying the war against corruption should not be personalised.
He said the national concern over corruption has been top of national debate for many years now.
"We have put in place institutions and enacted laws aimed at eradicating corruption in our country. Corruption undermines government policies and distorts allocation of public resources. It gives our country a poor image and discourages investments," President Kibaki said.
He said the grand coalition government have resolved to deal with the matter decisively and called on the august house to work with the government in that endeavour.
"In order to win this war we must apply the law in a manner that is impartial and just. We must also not politicize or personalize the fight against corruption," President Kibaki said.
The Head of State said in the last few months the Government has intensified the war against corruption and that the momentum will be accelerated to cover all vulnerable sectors of government.
"In this regard all anticorruption agencies should fast-track and conclude pending corruption cases. All anti-corruption agencies have also been directed to enhance preventive measures," he said.
President Kibaki said the Government will enhance the investigative and prosecution capacity of the respective agencies. The judiciary should also speed up the court process because speedy conclusion of corruption-related cases it is a key pillar in the fight.
The Government will provide adequate resources to improve the capacity of these institutions to speed up the processes.
The public service has been directed to apply the law and regulations firmly and impartially. The government is also consulting with the judiciary into ways of placing a time frame on the period within which a corruption related case should be concluded.
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