The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission commenced an inquiry into the matter following a complaint that MMUST had purchased the MKU Turkana Campus at an exorbitant price of Ksh.1.2 billion, yet the real value of the property was Ksh. 600 million. EACC established that the acquisition was initiated on March 17, 2016, by the Deputy Vice Chancellor of MMUST, Planning, Research and Innovation, who wrote to the Cabinet Secretary of Education Science and Technology
Hours after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission terminated the probe into the inflated Ksh.1.2bn land purchase deal between Mount Kenya University and Masinde Muliro university in Turkana County, some activists have threatened to move to court to ensure the looted public funds are fully recovered.
Sources say that Mr Simeon Gicharu, the founder of MKU might have used his influence and financial muscle to ensure the case did not proceed. Sources say the MKU boss who was a close ally to former President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga has finally found his way into the corridors of President William Ruto’s State House.
Although he openly campaigned against President William Ruto in the August elections, he has become a close ally to some power brokers in the Kenya Kwanza administration. Sources say that although he has not met President Ruto, he jumped ship to support President Ruto so as to save his business empire. It is whispered he has spent a fortune to ensure he becomes politically relevant and to be in good books with the who is who in the new administration.
During the last graduation ceremony of MKU held on 9th December 2022, no government official graced the occasion unlike the previous ones when such occasions were like that of a public university with full government representation. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) had cited the demise of an official who was accountable for the transaction as the reason behind the conclusion of their investigations. However, activists have vowed to ensure that they appeal against the termination of the case.
The commission commenced an inquiry into the matter following a complaint that MMUST had purchased the MKU Turkana Campus at an exorbitant price of Ksh.1.2 billion, yet the real value of the property was Ksh. 600 million. EACC established that the acquisition was initiated on March 17, 2016, by the Deputy Vice Chancellor of MMUST, Planning, Research and Innovation, who wrote to the Cabinet Secretary of Education Science and Technology.
The person responsible for ensuring adherence was the accounting officer who was the Vice-Chancellor (VC) at the time, the late Prof. Frederick A.O Otieno. The report further held that the VC (Prof. Otieno) who would have been culpable for failing to adhere to the procurement law and regulations, is deceased. Prof Otieno left office on December 1, 2018, amid a barrage of audit queries. He died the following year.
