EACC chair Philip Kinisu
The chairman of the anti-graft agency, Philip Kinisu, has said he will not resign over criminal investigations against him.
Companies associated with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) head are being investigated by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Assets Recovery Agency and the Kenya Revenue Authority over their dealings with the National Youth Service (NYS).
“My resigning will be setting a terrible precedent because any person can fabricate any claim against a public official. Like they can say I am a poacher or a diamond smuggler. I cannot act on information which I know to be false,” he said.
Mr Kinisu, speaking in Nairobi on Tuesday, said the claims against him were orchestrated by individuals being investigated for corruption by the commission.
“The challenges are manifestations of corruption fighting back. The fightback is vicious and has demonstrated the danger that I and my fellow commissioners and to an extent our staff face,” he said.
Mr Kinisu, who owns Esaki Limited with his wife and daughter, found himself under scrutiny when it was revealed that the company was paid a total of Sh35,417,209 to supply borehole materials to the NYS between October 2014 and November 2015.Though the company was not adversely mentioned in the alleged corruption scandal that saw NYS lose 791 million, the fact that it is owned by the family of the EACC chairman raises questions about possible conflict of interest.
