Dr
Wasanga grilled by EACC
In
storm over his new job
By
Anchor Reporter
The
Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have grilled the Makueni County
Secretary Dr Paul Wasanga over circumstances resulting in his appointment for
the job.
The
Anchor established yesterday that Wasanga had recorded a lengthy statement that
covers how he elbowed his way to become the county boss after he chaired the
panel that interviewed other applicants for the post
An
EACC source that is versed with the investigation said Wasanga and other
panelists, along with applicants who sat for the interview had recorded
statements.
Names of those who have recorded statements include Mr wasanga, who also is a former CEO of the Kenya
National Examination Council (KNEC), Eng
.Jacqueline Musyoki..former CEO..Kenya Water Trust Fund, Mr Benjamin Mutie who is the Chairman
of the Makueni County
Public Service Board. Incidentally, those
who have been grilled comprise a team that is seen as Governor Kivutha Kibwana’s
advisors.
Four other people who were candidates for the post
have also recorded statements with EACC. Investigators are analyzing score
sheets for each of the candidates and minutes generated by the interviewing
panel after each appearance.
The records were seized by investigators when the EACC
swooped in Dr Wasanga’s offices and those of the Makueni County Public Services
Board.
At the time of the interviews both Mr Wasanga and Dr
Musyoki did not have official designations at the County Government and
investigators are questioning the circumstances that catapulted them to the
panel. Mr Charles Mutuku, a monied.businessman viewed by many as
chief financier to Governor, who also sat in the panel was yet to record a statement
by the time we went to press,
“Investigators
have recorded detailed statements from virtually all of them. Only two members
of the panel are yet to record their versions of what took place”, the source
said adding that the entire account looks like a circus.
Investigators are trying to
unravel how Wasanga presided over the interview panel as Chairman and ended up
slotting himself as the successful candidate.
EACC is looking
at the whole process of employment from the application,
shortlisting,
interviews,vetting to appointment of the substantive County Secretary.
The
most intriguing aspect is that Dr Wasanga interviewed his competitors, some
viewed as better qualified than him. Questions are being raised as to why the Makueni Public Service
Board did not do its job independently..
The employment of Wasanga
got into trouble when two residents from
Makueni brought a sworn petition to the Makueni Assembly opposing his
appointment as the county secretary.
They cited his tenure at
the Kenya National Examination Council where the yet unresolved bribery saga
nicknamed Chicken Gate was hatched under his watch.
EACC is
also keen to establish the authenticity of a certificate of clearance from the
EACC that Dr Wasanga may have presented to prove that he had no baggage carried
over from KNEC.
